Widows from across Siaya County converged at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Bondo, on Sunday, December 28, for a landmark Widows Empowerment Program event that underscored the Kenya Kwanza administration’s growing focus on inclusive social protection and grassroots economic uplift.
The high-impact engagement, spearheaded by Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, drew participation from 157 organised widow groups spanning all 30 wards of Siaya County, signalling strong public trust in a program that is steadily transforming lives.
Held in the presence of Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, the event highlighted rare bipartisan convergence around social justice, dignity, and community empowerment—values Senator Oburu has long championed and which the national government is now scaling through structured policy interventions.
The initiative reflects President Dr. William Samoei Ruto’s bottom-up economic philosophy, which prioritizes the most vulnerable as a foundation for national growth. Through PS Omollo’s stewardship, the Widows Empowerment Program has evolved into a practical expression of compassionate leadership—combining immediate relief with long-term sustainability.
Addressing the gathering, leaders emphasized that widows are not passive recipients of aid but critical drivers of household stability and community resilience.
During the JOOUST event, widows received essential household supplies—including rice, beans, sugar, and cooking oil—easing daily economic pressures. In a forward-looking move aligned with food security and climate action goals, beneficiaries were also issued fruit tree seedlings to support nutrition, income generation, and environmental conservation.
The event further attracted overwhelming goodwill from partners and well-wishers, with KSh11 million mobilised on-site to strengthen and expand the program’s reach.
Beyond relief support, the program has already delivered decent housing to more than ten widows, replacing unsafe structures with permanent homes and restoring dignity to affected families.
In education, over 300 orphans from widow-led households are currently benefiting from school sponsorships, ensuring continuity in learning and improved future prospects.
Youth empowerment has also been deliberately integrated. Through linkages facilitated by the program, 250 young people from Siaya County studying German at Tom Mboya University have received structured support aimed at skills development and access to international labour opportunities—aligning with the government’s labour mobility agenda.
What began as a county-focused intervention has now grown into a national empowerment model, with similar initiatives rolled out in Uasin Gishu, Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, Embu, Meru, Nyeri, and Kakamega counties. Plans are at an advanced stage to extend the program to Kwale, Kilifi, and Mombasa, taking its impact to the Coast region.
Earlier this year in Seme, Kisumu County, the program transformed the life of Mama Grace Adhiambo, a widow who had endured years in a fragile makeshift shelter made of mud, sticks, and plastic sheets.
Identified as one of the most vulnerable cases, the program mobilised resources to build her a permanent home. At the handover ceremony, an emotional Mama Grace described the house as “a miracle I never imagined.”
“This program is not just about building houses or distributing food,” a program representative noted. “It is about restoring hope, giving families a fresh start, and ensuring that no widow is forgotten.”
With strong backing from President Ruto’s administration, the hands-on leadership of PS Omollo, and the unifying presence of Senator Oburu Odinga, the Widows Empowerment Program emerged as a model of inclusive governance—where dignity, opportunity, and national unity meet at the grassroots.
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