Swedish Ambassador to Kenya Visits NRT, launches ‘Biashara Mashinani’

The Swedish Ambassador to Kenya, Her Excellency Caroline Vicini was inspired by community conservancies’ role in promoting peace among pastoralist communities in northern Kenya and the quest for communities to diversify their income channels.

During her visit to assess the impacts of programmes implemented by the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) with support from the Government of Sweden early January, the envoy lauded the involvement of women in peace efforts insisting that only a peaceful society will create a conducive atmosphere for investment which will then foster economic growth.

NRT, World Vision and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) are implementing the Integrated Management of Natural Resources for Resilience in Arid and Semi- Arid Lands (IMARA) program in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu and Laikipia counties, a program that seeks to revitalise and preserve rangeland assets for the benefit of the current and future generations through diversified livelihoods and improved natural resource management use in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).

The Ambassador met community members who explained how NRT led programmes have had an impact on their lives including building businesses and diversifying wealth.

During the visit, Ambassador Vicini officially launched ‘Biashara Mashinani’ programme that seeks to empower women and youth in northern Kenya into the economic mainstream.

The programme, supported by NRT Trading, employs a structured graduation-based process that combines training, business development, business mentorship and financial literacy tools such as savings, loans, mobile banking and NRT Savings and Credit Cooperative.

The empowerment model focuses on changing mindsets, building diverse business skills and opportunities, and inculcating savings and borrowing culture through tailor-made intensive business and financial literacy trainings.

“I am really encouraged to see that there are so many steps taken to provide for a more sustainable, more ecological and safer economic-wise programmes for communities living in this region,” said the Ambassador.

The Swedish government also supports Ujuzi Manyattani programme that helps young people in the region acquire basic skills such as masonry, welding, motorcycle and mobile phone repairing in order to enable them utilize the skills to earn a decent living.

Ujuzi Manyattani, a vocational training initiative started as a pilot in 2019, has trained 133 morans and young women further increasing job and business opportunities by creating specific vocational skills that respond to growing market demands.

NRT’s Director of programmes Dr. Elizabeth Pantoren said the two NRT Trading initiatives have played a key role towards persuading morans from the region to keep off harmful and retrogressive activities such as cattle rusting.