The Government through the Department of Social Protection, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes, has started a 21- days Enhanced Single Registry (ESR) exercise, targeting counties of Murang’a, Migori, Laikipia, Kitui, Kwale, Kisii, Narok, Tharaka-Nithi, West Pokot, Baringo, Lamu and Kilifi County
Maragua Sub-county Social Development Officer, Ms Ruth Gichuki, confirmed to KNA that the data collection exercise was targeting to register the vulnerable members of the society, who had previously been listed during the identification Phase.
“In Murang’a we had targeted 62,000 vulnerable persons,” noted Gichuki, adding that they surpassed this target since the listing exercise identified 135,000 vulnerable persons through household visits.
The ESR exercise stores information of the vulnerable households in Kenya and thus meant to establish a database that contains data for existing and potential beneficiaries for social protection.
“In the event that the government or other donors and stakeholders wants to offer social protection, it will be easy to reach the vulnerable and offer assistance based on the database created,” observed Gichuki
The Enhanced Single Registry database, will also ensure timely response and interventions that will cover a greater proportion of the vulnerable households during shocks and emergencies.
Gichuki said the ESR exercise will avail standardized and quality data that will help in programmes selection and provide needed services when the need arises.
The ESR exercise that is expected to be carried out in all the 47 counties, saw the counties of Makueni, Kisumu and Taveta, as the pilot counties late last year.
By Florence Kinyua and Anita Omwenga
