Widows Project

Widows Project in Siaya County

The widow project has been in operation since the year 2017 and whose phase was meant to last for 5 years but due to the world wide virus pandemic and other donor inspired factors the project is winding up its first phase by end of the first quarter in 2023. The project worked in 2 locations in Siaya County, namely Usonga and West Ugenya; While the project’s overall outcome is Empowered widows living with dignity and freedom, there are 3 other specific outcomes under which various thematically organized outputs were implemented.

Reported are some of the most significant changes that the project has recorded over the period it has been working with the widows in target area
The project has succeeded in enhancing the widows’ capacity so that they are now able to live in dignity and freedom. They are able to say no to the humiliating traditional rituals and resist other forms of oppression and rights violations. They are repossessing their matrimonial properties which had once
been confiscated by their in-laws because they are aware of their constitutional and human rights.

Widows Project – The Project Officer facilitating a session during the Usonga and West Ugenya Widows Property and Succession Rights Workshop.

Increased knowledge and skills for widows’ self-advocacy towards their freedom from harmful cultural practices

The project created impact through awareness raising which did not only target the widows, but also reaching out to the affected youths, the cultural elders, the local administrators, the in-laws and even
religious leaders in both the communities and the FPFK churches within the project areas. The increase in knowledge on the widows’ rights and freedoms led to reduced violations of their rights and respect of the widows in the community. The project thus has succeeded in raising advocates for the widows’ rights in the communities from the various target groups which were also reached, the cultural leaders included.

Increased widows’ access to support by establishing legal, economic and psychosocial support and linkages

The project has successfully natured 13 groups exclusively for the widows which form the basis for the different support systems; psychosocial, economic and legal, and of course linkages. The widows for example are able offer the moral support to each other in their various groups whenever a community member violated a widow’s rights which contributed to expedite the justice system at the local level.

WIDOWS project – Part of the West Ugenya location Project beneficiaries at the end of
the two-day seminar with Mama Liv Toril(1)

Widows Project – The Project Officer facilitating a session during the Usonga and West Ugenya Widows Property and Succession Rights Workshop.

Improved policy environment favorable for widows’ freedom from harmful cultural practices.

To a favourable environment for the widows’ freedom, the project facilitated the drafting and subsequently lobbying of the widows social protection policy document where all the widows in Siaya will benefit from. Whereas the draft has not been adopted for budget allocation and implementation, the relevant county departments have responded positively and steps for consideration of adoption and a few amendments have been made. The project has ensured availability of relevant information which has promoted the widows’ involvement in matters governance from a point of awareness.

Our Contacts

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Working hours

Monday- Friday:8:00 AM-17:00 PM
(Phone until 17:00 PM)

Contact Info

FPFK Headquarters; Kindaruma Road, Off Menelik Rd,P.O. Box 47469 – 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Phone:+254-20-3870126
Fax:+(020) 3874596
Email: hoffice@fpfk.or.ke or info@fpfk.or.ke