In the heart of Ngaremara Ward, Isiolo County, lies Manyatta Zebra, a small rural center occupied by the Turkana community. Agnes Nakwawi, 28 years old, the Neema group chairlady is a mother of 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys. She lives with her six children, her husband, sister and mother-in-law. During the onset of the December 2023 heavy rainfall, Agnes and her husband decided to utilize the 1-acre piece of land they had that was adjacent to their home. Agnes got training through Neema Girl Improving Resilience through Livelihood (GIRL) Group from a mentor under the predecessor of PRIME Program; GIRL-H Program. The content of the training included business skills and exposed them to different business opportunities they could venture into as a group and individuals. She saw an opportunity out of the difficult time of getting access to different vegetables because one had to go to Isiolo town which is 24 Kilometers away or wait for market day in Corner village which is on Wednesdays. One is forced to buy fruits and vegetables to use for the whole week and sometimes it would go bad after a day or two. After identifying that there was a gap in accessing necessary food items especially fruits and vegetables, she came…

In Kinna Ward, nestled within Isiolo County, the Yumna GIRL group flourishes amidst a backdrop of adversity. Comprising 24 resilient young women, their journeys have been fraught with challenges emblematic of the harsh realities of their environment: drought-induced famine, impoverished nutrition, early pregnancies, forced marriages, and the abandonment of education due to familial obligations and financial constraints. At the heart of their story lies a beacon of hope: a program tailored to uplift out-of-school girls, nurturing their life skills, fortifying their personal agency, and fostering social bonds. This initiative, known as PRIME safe spaces, endeavors to guide these young women towards sustainable pathways, be it in entrepreneurship, vocational training, or livelihood pursuits, ensuring safety and suitability every step of the way. In January 2023, amidst the arid terrain, a transformative event unfolded. A community mobilization and awareness session convened within the precincts of the chief's office, beckoning the local populace to rally behind the cause of empowering adolescent and young girls in the parched expanses of Arid and Semi-Arid regions. Anticipation hung thick in the air as the gathering awaited the commencement of the enrollment process. Each participant, bearing the weight of her own trials and triumphs, stood poised on the threshold of possibility. Some arrived accompanied by their children,…

Flourishing vegetables and fruits welcome a visitor to Bisanadi Cultural Village in Kinna Ward giving the impression of a model farm tucked in a region where agronomy is regarded as an alien concept. From beans to green grams, tomatoes to capsicum, bulb onions to orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, an apiary and two fishponds, they all proclaim the success of this farm. At another corner is pawpaw and mango fruit trees which the chairlady of this cultural center says have waiting buyers. “There is a ready market for the pawpaw fruits once they are ready for harvest. We entered into a contractual agreement and the buyer will dispatch a vehicle to ferry them to Meru Town,” says Makai Mamo, the chairlady. Incidentally, farming activity has been going on for barely five years but the transformation on a previously bare piece of land is enormous. “This centre began as a cultural centre targeting tourists visiting the neighbouring Meru National Park who would spend time at our cottages. The visitors would be entertained with Borana traditional songs and dances as well as educate them about our culture and traditions,” explains Mamo. Later, the group comprising 18 women and seven men decided to diversify into agriculture to boost their income and produce food for their…

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    on 19th August, 2024, we were visited by  the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) team from  Isiolo regional office, led by the Regional Coordinator, Mr. Nahason, and the Programme Officer, Mr. Somo. Our Executive Director, Cecilia Otwane (Gender officer),  Mercy Mukami (Project officer), and Mohamed Duba ( Fundraising Officer) received the team. The NGEC team praised MID-P for making a significant impact in Isiolo county when it comes to gender issues. Among the achievements they recognized were the establishment of a Gender Desk at Garbatulla Police Station and MID-P's support for various gender coordination activities. NGEC highlighted their shared interest with MID-P in working with special interest groups and supporting the county in developing various gender policies. Our Areas of collaboration with NGEC include: Strengthening protection structures such as the Gender Technical Working Group (GTWG)  Capacity building for staff Building partnerships on issues related to special interest groups Supporting gender inclusion interventions Research and knowledge management They also brought us  gifts of several resource books and promised to recommend MID-P for membership in the National Gender Technical Working Group. With gender being mainstreamed in all our programmes as a cross cutting theme, we are looking forward to more collaboration with the NGEC team both at the regional…

TENDER REFERENCE: GFFO /SOH/MID-P/2024 – 2 Merti Integrated Development Program (MID-P) is announcing an open tender -Completion of the Korbesa water supply in Cherab Ward in Isiolo County. Invitation to tender MID-P is looking for eligible contractors who can complete the rehabilitation of Korbesa water supply in Isiolo County. This Request for bids is open to all legally-constituted companies that can provide the requested service and have legal capacity to deliver in the country, or through an authorized representative. Below are the Advert with BOQ for the work.   Download the Tender here Tender Notice for completion of Korbesa water project (1)