Narok County Governor Samuel Ole Tunai has advised women, youth and even men to come together and form self-help groups in order to improve their economic status.
Tunai said the groups will help them to pool their resources and empower themselves as the resources can be invested in a joint income generating activity.
“These groups will also help you to secure funding from the devolved funds such as the Youth and Women Enterprise funds in order to grow investment as a group and reap more benefits,” he said.
He was speaking in Rongena area in Enelerai in Narok West Sub County, during a fundraiser for Rongena Dopers Enterprise Group.
The governor who was accompanied by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Narok West Mr. Gabriel Tongoyo and other leaders from the area gave a donation of Sh 2 million to the Rongena Dopers Enterprise Group which was established in 2018.
The leaders pledged to continue empowering the residents economically and unite all the communities in the county in order to spur development.
“I have always been ready and willing to help all residents of this County and I am pleased that as a community you have also joined and formed groups that will bring about development,” he said.
Tongoyo pledged Sh. 3 million to the schools in Rongena so that they can construct science labs. He also added that Sh.5 million had been set aside from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) kitty for installation of electricity in the region so that water can be pumped from the rivers to the homesteads to reduce water burden.
The Director of the Rongena Dopers Enterprise Group, Mr. Ernest Kipngeno Langat who spearheaded the establishment of the group said he encouraged the men in the community to unite and taught them the importance of forming self-help groups.
“Our group came together and we decided to contribute some money in order to buy doper sheep. This was because I realized there was need for the men in this community to find alternative means to make a living,” he said.
The doper sheep, which are a South African breed, are responsive to the environment and adapt well in tough climatic conditions while also maturing faster. The sheep also produce good meat and its milk is said to be more nutritious. The skin too has various uses.
The group which has 30 dopers has a vision that by the year 2030 they should have distributed three dopers to each of their members. They also plan to create employment to their members in a strategy to minimize poverty in the society.
“We plan on raising pure pedigree breed of doper sheep that can be sold giving the members money they can use for their family needs,” he said.
The group has also dedicated itself in the planting of trees in an effort to increase forest cover in the county.
By Mabel Keya – Shikuku and Joseph Kariuki
