Lodwar, May 20, 2025 — (Public Communications and Media Relations)

The County Government and the Agency for Cross Border Pastoralist Development (ApAD) have pledged joint implementation of a post-grant support program aimed at sustaining livelihoods, promoting peace, and combating gender-based violence in cross-border communities.

The initiative targets all the 17 community-based groups (CBOs) and organizations that recently received micro-grants totaling Ksh 7 million from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), disbursed through ApAD as one of the implementing partner.

At a strategy meeting in Lodwar, officials from ApAD and the County Department of Trade outlined a coordinated roadmap for continued support. The plan seeks to consolidate the impact of grants disbursed to youth-led groups, women associations, and CBOs in Loya, Lokiriama, Nalapatui, and Lokichoggio.

County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Cooperatives, Gender, Youth Affairs and Tourism, Roseline Aite, affirmed the county’s commitment to ensuring sustainability beyond donor exit.

“We recognize how fragile peace conditions hinder enterprise growth and social change. The county will continue to empower these groups,” she said.

ApAD Executive Director, Sam Kimeli, underscored the grants’ broader goal of fostering peace and social resilience.

“These beneficiaries are not just running businesses, they are becoming peace agents within their communities,” he said.

Beneficiary Irene Merinyang highlighted entrepreneurship training and improved market access as urgent needs, while the county’s Deputy Director for Gender, Mollen Onderi, joined the meeting to reinforce institutional support.

The post-grant strategy will focus on capacity building, mentorship, and linking groups to ongoing county programs in trade and social protection.