Since 2001, the DOL through the livelihood programme chose to empower women so that they too can pump into the welfare of their families. Women generally have contributed to the general welfare of the families. In the past women have been seen as being good for the kitchen and not given chance to contribute to development. With the changing society it has become necessary that women too become bread winners for their families since they too have capabilities needed to be utilized for the good of the whole society and their families too.
With the continuing support from BD (Bridderlech Deelen) the livelihoods programme decided to extend its support to youth,men and women targeting a wider Turkana County.
To transform the livelihood of the Turkana Community through an integrated approach to development
Livelihoods and Agriculture Programme through IGA(Income Generating Activity) Component aims at creating an environment through which Savings ,Lending and linkages for financial services are enhanced for financially unreached Communities. This is done to enable the communities to achieve increased income, increased livelihoods, diversity and food security in the face of climatic shocks, humanitarian crises and social political changes.
The major economic activity for the Turkana Community is pastoralism. Introduction of crop farming in the Turkana Community as an alternative means of livelihood through the DOL Livelihood programme.It is a step towards solving food insecurity issues in the local community.
DOL Livelihoods programme assists the Turkana community in crop farming through:
Among the crops grown by the farmers are: greengrams, peas, water melon, sorghum, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, green vegetables, pawpaw, onions, pumpkins, tomatoes, maize, and peanuts.
Turkana Community is known for livestock keeping. Even then the community has faced a number of challenges in regard to livestock keeping and as a result the Turkana have in some instances lost their livestock through:
Fishing serves as an alternative source of livelihood for the Turkana living near Lake Turkana. The people living near the Lake have no other reliable source of earning a living except fishing. Fishing as an economic activity of these people has been of benefit to them in various ways: