Lodwar, 30th June, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The County Government has committed to partner with GiveDirectly, a global NGO operating in over nine countries, to roll out an unconditional cash transfer program targeting vulnerable households.

The Deputy Governor Dr John Erus said that the partnership would complement ongoing county funded programs tailored to empower communities and individuals with cash for business start-ups and expansion.

“It is our belief that the entry of GiveDirectly as a new partner in social safety net programs through unconditional cash transfers will boost our agenda of improving socio-economic condition of the most vulnerable members of our community,” Dr. Erus said during a meeting with the organization’s delegation in Lodwar.

The Deputy Governor emphasised the need to formalize the collaboration through a structured agreement calling on the organization to nominate a team to work with the office of the county Attorney on the agreement documentation.

He commended GiveDirectly for coming at a time when the county is in great need of an economically empowered population to sustain development arising from rapid urbanization, emerging industries and increased investment by authorities in livestock and fish value chains.

On his part, GiveDirectly Kenya program Director Stephen Kalungu said that the organization is engaging local leadership and the community to ensure ownership and accountability.

“The initiative we are introducing in Turkana targets up to 4000 vulnerable households throughout the county. Our targeting will be informed by data from county and national government entities on vulnerability index. We will also source for additional data from Kenya National Bureau of statistics,’ Kalungu clarified.

Kalungu was accompanied by Salome Hussein (Program Manager, Kenya), Violet Magoba (Program Manager, Government & External Relations), Doreen Mibei (Field Manager, Turkana) and Patrick Lolung (Associate field Manager, Turkana).