Lodwar, January 19, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Residents of Turkana County are set to benefit from a new economic inclusion intervention after the Kuza Jamii Program received acceptance to operate in the county.
The County Steering Group (CSG), the body mandated to coordinate all partner interventions in Turkana, unanimously approved the program’s request during a routine coordination meeting held in Lodwar last week.
The UK-funded program, supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), targets extremely poor households with the aim of systematically graduating them from conditions of extreme poverty into economically resilient and self-reliant groups.
During the presentation to the CSG, Kuza Jamii representatives said the program adopts a structured poverty graduation model that focuses on building household resilience through sustainable livelihoods rather than short-term relief assistance.
The program’s entry into Turkana comes at a time when the county is experiencing a worsening drought situation that has left many households in need of support.
Welcoming the initiative, Deputy Governor Dr John Erus lauded Kuza Jamii for seeking formal clearance through the County Steering Group, noting that the approach promotes coordination, accountability, and alignment with county priorities.
“From the presentation, the Kuza Jamii Program is designed to move households out of extreme poverty through a very structured graduation model. We are proud that you chose to enter the county through the CSG,” said Dr Erus.
State Department for Social Development representative Mutuku Kamau affirmed that the initiative is designed to benefit both host and refugee communities, enhancing inclusive social development solutions.
“Kuza Jamii targets up to 1500 beneficiaries across Turkana 1100 of which will be drawn from Kalobeyei and Kakuma for refugee inclusion. It also targets up to 500 business groups and 82 Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLAs),” said Mutuku Kamau.
The consortium is currently active in three counties Turkana, Wajir and Samburu, where it has distinguished itself through interventions aligned with economic inclusion and the transition from relief-based assistance to sustainable livelihoods.
According to Mutuku Kamau, the intervention combines entrepreneurship training, business start-up grants and the formation of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) to enable beneficiaries to generate and sustain income over time.
Following the approval, program implementers are expected to work with the County Government to develop a formal implementation framework, including a memorandum of understanding, to guide the rollout of activities in Turkana.
County Commissioner Julius Kavita and Jackson Nakusa of the Turkana Professionals association alongside representatives of various partners attended the CSG.
