Goal: Enhance Women’s, Girls’ and Youth Economic Empowerment.

Purpose: To increase by 30% viable income generating activities for women, girls and youth in Kenya by 2015.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

Create awareness, Education and information on IGAS.Encourage formation of Provincial and District MYWO women members co-operative Societies.Lobby with Banks e.g. Co-operative Bank of Kenya, for improved access and availability of credit facilities for women.In the long term create a MYWO Bank.Develop proposals on IGA, e.g. Handloom weaving and Training. MYWO chose handcrafts and specially Hand loomed and hand made approved items. These include:-Kikoi (wrapper), Kikoi shirt, Kikoi bag, Kikoi trouser, Kikoi short, Table runners and mats (Mkeka) and Scarf (hand spun wool)

RAW MATERIALS

The raw natural materials used for Hand loomed products are:- Cotton, Wool The country has potential to produce all the raw materials.

COTTON PRODUCTION 

Since its introduction in 1901 in Nyanza province, cotton cultivation has spread to other parts of the country such as:Western, Coast, Eastern, Central and Rift valley. The greatest out-put of cotton lint was attained in the mind 1980’s. It is believed that revival of cotton production could take the country’s textile industry along way.

WOOL

The majority of sheep in Kenya are reared in the Rift valley Province. Kenyan sheep are reared mainly for meat and wool production is only a by product. However with proper husbandry methods, it is possible to yield much more wool.  The Kenya textile industry imports over 80% of its raw materials even though Kenya has the potential to produce them all. 

RECOMMENDATION:

MYWO should therefore seize the opportunity and work with the Ministry of Agriculture to see how the Government can assist women in cotton growing and sheep rearing. The two products; Cotton and Wool can then be added value through weaving.

MARKETS

Hand woven products have markets both locally and internationally. Within the COMESSA region, Kenya’s textile industrial base is one of the best developed. Under AGOA, textiles and apparels can be exported duty and quota free to USA.       

TRAINED TOTS

MYWO’S TRAINING CENTRES 

Ahero multipurpose development training centre has been rented by MYWO HQs for training purpose. Using the initial six handlooms donated by Common Wealth Services Abroad (CSAP), three trainings have been held AMDTC since the master trainers training in August 2005 with participants from the Ministry of Agriculture.

To facilitate the trained Officers carry out trainings in their respective districts, a proposal was sent to associated country women of the world (ACCW). ACWW responded positively and funded supply of 10 handlooms for ten districts as shown below:

Rachuonyo, Siaya , Nyamira, Butere Mumias, Kakamega, Nandi, Kitui, Kiambu, Muranga North, Nairobi

The handlooms have since been purchased and delivered to all the districts.

Training is in progress except Nairobi. The first monitoring exercise by the donor was carried out during the month of August 2007.

Identification of suppliers of yarn.

It has been learnt that in Nairobi only two Manufacturing companies deal with cotton yarn for use by Hand-loomed machines.Fine SpinnersTSSHowever, a baseline survey will be carried out to establish the viability of  women spinning row cotton and wool for handloom weaving purposes

ACHIEVEMENTS

Nine out of 10 districts have installed their Handloom machines.The awareness created has made women, girls and youth eager  to learn.There have been enquiries on the hand loomed items for purchase by communities in the districts where the project has been implemented.