Economic Empowerment and Justice

Grassroots women’s economic empowerment is central to realizing women’s rights and gender equality and to improving livelihoods. Grassroots women can get themselves out of poverty and into economic stability by advocating for access, ownership, and control of productive assets such as land, finance, and technology. The movement, therefore, is committed to addressing all barriers, with a critical focus on land access, control, and ownership; inclusion in agricultural value chains; financial and digital inclusion; and networking. GROOTS Kenya also believes that advancing grassroots women’s economic position will enhance their capacity to prepare for and cope with the impacts of shock.

Activities

Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa

Regenerative Seascapes for People, Climate and Nature (ReSea)

Coastal and marine ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region are under increasing pressure from urbanization, population growth, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. These stressors are threatening biodiversity, undermining ecosystem services, and placing the livelihoods and well-being of coastal communities at risk. In response, the ReSea project has been launched as a transformative initiative to promote regenerative seascapes that strengthen climate resilience while supporting the socio-economic development of communities across Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania. ReSea harnesses Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation (NbSA) and gender-sensitive conservation practices to preserve, restore, and sustainably manage marine and coastal ecosystems. At the same time, it seeks to improve the livelihoods of local communities, particularly women and youth, by supporting climate-resilient value chains that contribute to long-term adaptation and economic empowerment. ReSea is structured around three interconnected pillars offering a holistic design model; i) Blue Planet, which supports marine conservation; ii) Blue Nature, which promotes the use of NbS for climate adaptation; and iii) Blue People, which focuses on inclusive economic empowerment. This integrated approach ensures that environmental protection and climate adaptation goes hand-in-hand with social equity and economic opportunity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=imN3O9WGWmW7qGFr By enhancing the effectiveness and equity of coastal and marine conservation, increasing the adoption of gender-responsive NbS, and empowering women in climate-adaptive value chains, ReSea aims to directly benefit over 70,000 people in the WIO region. The project contributes to the realization of key regional and global frameworks, including the Great Blue Wall, the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals. Through this ambitious and collaborative effort, ReSea demonstrates how regenerative seascapes can deliver lasting benefits for people, climate, and nature.

Nairobi

Breathe Nairobi Initiative

The Problem

Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, is the largest city in East Africa and home to over 5.3 million residents. By 2035, this population is projected to reach ~8 million, increasing pressure on the city’s infrastructure and environment. As East Africa’s economic and transport hub, Nairobi ranks first regionally in the Global Business Cities Index 2022. It boasts a thriving tech ecosystem, earning it the nickname ‘Silicon Savannah.’ However, this rapid growth has led to serious air pollution challenges, with the city’s PM2.5 concentrations 2019 being 4.2 times higher than WHO-recommended levels.

Pillars

At Breathe Cities-Nairobi, we tackle these challenges with a holistic, multi-pillar approach that prioritises data-driven action, community engagement, and sustainable policies:

Data and Research

Expand the availability of local air quality data through the use of innovative new technologies and research into causes of air pollution to provide local governments with evidence for implementing and enforcing new policies.

Stakeholder and Community Engagement

Develop a campaign and collaborate with community organisers to build awareness and support for air quality action, especially for communities most affected by air pollution.

Technical Policy Assistance

Support Nairobi City County to develop and deliver clean air policies by providing technical assistance and capacity building to support policymakers in identifying and implementing solutions.

Lesson Sharing

As part of the global Breathe Cities initiative, we collaborate with other cities around the world to share successes, solutions, and learnings from Nairobi on a global scale.

Scope

Vehicular Emissions: Nairobi’s Major Polluter

Road transport contributes 40% of PM2.5 emissions, worsened by an ageing vehicle fleet, weak emission controls, and gridlocked roads. Though only 12.8% of residents own cars, over 70% rely on old, fuel-inefficient matatus. This combination of outdated vehicles and an inadequate transport network has made Nairobi one of the most congested cities in the world. During peak hours, the city’s population swells from 4.5 million to over 6 million, intensifying gridlock and emissions.

Waste Burning: The Silent Contributor

Illegal waste dumping and burning cause 25% of PM2.5 pollution. Nairobi generates 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, but 62% is disposed of illegally. The Dandora landfill, operating beyond capacity, fuels toxic emissions through methane leaks and spontaneous fires. Medical waste disposal is also a crisis; 250 health facilities generate 150 tonnes monthly, yet only one legal incinerator exists. Unregulated burning at night worsens air quality.

Industrial Pollution: A Growing Threat

Factories contribute 15% of PM2.5 emissions, especially in metal recycling, cement production, and tanneries. Many operate with outdated, unregulated processes, releasing harmful pollutants. Stronger emission controls and cleaner industrial practices are essential for a healthier city.

Kitui, Nakuru

Accelerating Rural Women’s Access to Agricultural Markets and Trade

The main objective of this project was to equip women with relevant knowledge and skills as well as enhance their leadership and organizational capabilities to enable them to become drivers of their own social and economic transformation in Nakuru and Kitui Counties with a focus on the dairy, horticulture & indigenous chicken value chain. The project planned to contribute to women farmers’ economic empowerment and improve livelihoods through improved agricultural production and access to markets. Partners: JSDF (Japan Social Development Fund) and World Bank Target Counties: Nakuru and Kitui Project Activities The project was implemented using the value chain approach with a focus on dairy, indigenous poultry and horticulture. five main components;

To organize women farmers to work collectively to economically empower and improve their livelihood,
To enhance women farmers’ lobbying and advocacy capacities for essential services and factors of productions
To enhance women farmers’ business capacities and facilitate market linkages; where the project is implemented using a participatory community approach to strengthen the primary beneficiaries’ production and business skills to fully maximize their participation and benefits from agricultural markets.
To empower women to increase their access to microfinance facilities to improve agri-enterprise performance.
Project management, participatory monitoring and evaluation.

3,500 women organized in 131 registered and functional farmers groups along the value chains and 60 grassroots women trained as community advocacy champions to lead the lobby and advocacy along the value chains. Project Achievements The project engaged with National and County stakeholders by the advocacy teams to provide essential services using project fact sheets which led to improved infrastructure (roads, health facilities, markets and schools). Other achievements attained through the project are;

110 grassroots women ascended to local decision-making & leadership positions through the project.
237 community resource persons (coaches) were trained to support ongoing capacity enhancement among farmers in production and agribusiness
Enhanced uptake of technologies and proper farm management by women farmers
Increased yields (milk 5-15 litres more per cow/day), increased poultry production (5 to 50 birds per farm)
Successful collective marketing. 10 premium agribusinesses have been established.
80% of the women farmers hold savings in bank accounts. Self-mobilized group resources utilized in purchasing of materials for constructing farm management units and farm inputs
Subsidized loans/funds worth $ 1,138,000 disbursed to individual farmers and farmer groups through the “Financing grassroots women concept”
Web-based project, farmer-fed management information system operationalized to monitor progress at farm level
90 trained women farmers to monitor progress using a mobile application; 100 android tablets provided by the project to collect enterprise data.

Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Vihiga, Kisii, Narok

Innovation Horticulture Lab (IHL)

This MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING officially signed on the 17th day of January 2022 outlines academic partnerships, research and innovation partnerships, policy advocacy, community outreach partnerships and utility partnerships as the five general areas of cooperation between GROOTS Kenya Association and Kenyatta University. While this are general area, the two entities following an inception meeting held on 12th January 2022 agreed to articulate specific actions to operationalize the MOU. These specific actions will form the basis of the initial engagement and will be reviewed annually.

Murang'a, Nyandarua

Rural Women Economic Empowerment Project (REEP)

Implemented in 2018, The Rural Women Economic Empowerment project aimed to socially and economically empower rural women farmers through agribusiness and rural development in Murang'a and Nyandarua Counties, with an overall objective of reducing poverty and injustice. When the project started in 2018, it was noted that 68% of the mapped participants had low-income levels (less than Kshs.5000 per month) and lived in mud-walled houses. To ensure financial inclusion, one of the project outcomes, GROOTS Kenya trained 40 Trainer of Trainees TOTs from 19 groups in Murang’a and 35 TOTs from 17 groups in Nyandarua on Group Savings and Loaning (GS&L). As a result, the farmers shifted from a merry-go-round to a group savings and loaning process (GSL), also known as table banking. Here, each farmer saved at least 200 shillings per month and was able to provide loans to each other at an agreed interest over an agreed period of time. This further resulted in farmers taking up poultry farming for faster income to meet their short-term needs. GROOTS Kenya was also able to establish linkages between sub-county and ward-level agricultural extension officers for the farmer groups. As a result, the agricultural officers visited farmers in Murang’a, collected data on farming production, and developed and tested a banana curriculum. The training enhanced and increased farmers' resilience practices. Target Counties: Murang'a, Nyandarua Partner: We effect

Kakamega

Madini Yetu, Wajibu Wetu

GROOTS Kenya's contributions aimed at promoting gender equality within the extractive sector through women's socio-economic empowerment, including financing and safeguarding women's rights. Donor: Diakonia Sweden Target County: Kakamega Project Achievements: The project successfully mobilized over 500 artisanal miners and ensured the recognition of these Artisanal Miners' Groups by both the County and National Government. With GROOTS Kenya at the forefront of advocating for women's rights, also identified the discrimination women faced at the mining sites due to cultural beliefs. However, after consistent engagement and dialogue with men and other stakeholders, these discriminatory practices were significantly reduced and addressed.

GROOTS Kenya also ensured that women were involved in decision-making processes. During the elections of artisanal and small-scale miners into the Artisanal mining committee at the county level, 2 out of the 3 members elected were women. Women also got a chance to participate in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) development process by ensuring that the issues that affect them like health, and environment, were captured in the CIDP.
Establishment of Artisanal Miners Committee, as provided by the Mining Act to spearhead the acquisition of Artisanal Small Minning (ASM), permits.
Election of two women into the Artisanal Small Minning (ASM) committee.
Enrollment of 40 artisanal miners into the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)
Incorporation of Artisanal Miners concerns in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP 2017 -2020).
Piloting of community reporting mechanism on mining issues.
Voluntary savings and loans for women miners.

Countrywide

Rural Women Tech

Objective: Using technology to advance transformative change related to girls, women’s and trans people’s human rights National