Mercy Corps is implementing a five-year USAID-funded Feed the Future (FtF) Livestock Market Systems Development Activity for northern Kenya. The program is supporting the Strengthening Community Capacities for Resilience and Growth associate award. This project is in line with USAID’s Feed the Future Initiative and specifically will improve households’ income, productive assets and resilience to drought and other shocks. Specific areas of focus include: strengthened and sustained rangeland and water management; strengthened drought risk management; strengthened conflict management; improved and sustained health, nutrition, and hygiene practices; improved literacy, numeracy, and life skills; and collaborative action and learning for community empowerment. The program has also acquired additional funding to address WASH and COVID-19 response activities.
Merti Integrated Development Programme (MIDP), received a sub-award contract from Mercy Corps dated 1st February 2021 for a sixteen-month project to implement LMS Activities in Bulapesa and Cherab wards in Isiolo. MIDP is working closely with County government of Isiolo to form one urban ward planning committees in Bullapesa using the 10 ward development planning steps and strengthen ward planning processes in Cherab ward. the formation of ward development planning process will lead to ward development plans, ward contingency plans, development of and advocacy plan for ward planning committees during the advocacy and influence training. The Bulapesa and Cherab WPCs will be supported to register with relevant government institutions and have physical office and address where they will be coordinating ward level development endeavors and closely work with county government for sustainability after project ends. County planning and budgeting process is critical and the ward planning committee will be facilitated to participate in the county budget making process and influence uptake of ward development committees’ priorities as captures in Ward Development Plans (WDPs) and integrated GIRL Model into future pathways to prosperity. Under the GIRL Model MID-P will create a cohort of 750 girls in Cherab ward and support GIRL Model activities in Oldonyiro and Ngaremara.
MIDP will target one cohort of 30 girl groups per cohort. Each girl group will be composed of 25 girls aged 10-19 year of age. 60% of the groups will be aged 15 to 19 years and 40% of the groups will be aged 10-14 year. MIDP will also promote WASH and nutrition, and COVID-19 social behavior change communication in close partnership with mercy corps office in Isiolo, sector based technical working groups, NDMA through CSG coordination forum and relevant county government departments.
MIDP in liaison with department of public health in Isiolo will conduct nutrition/covid19 and WASH campaign. MIDP plans to conduct community hygiene promotion event in both Bulapesa and Cherab wards. This includes community mobilization and awareness creation on Covid19 pandemic, prevention measures like wearing of face mask, keeping social/physical distance and hand washing with running water or use of hand sanitizers and a good health practice to contain spread of the pathogen.
