GENCAD is seeking qualified candidates for the following positions: Field Officer (1), Mentors (7), Markets and Financial Linkages Officer, and ICT Officer for the anticipated Kuza Jamii project in Mandera County.

Kuza Jamii will support the Government of Kenya progressively assuming responsibility for the National Economic Inclusion Programme in Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, and Wajir.

Interested and suitably qualified candidates to submit their CVs and a cover letter to info.gencad@gmail.com

Applications must be received by 22^nd March 2024. Late applications will not be considered. While we thank all applicants for expressing interest in the role, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

1. Field Officer
2. Markets and Financial Linkages Officer
3. ICT Officer
4. Mentors

In my last report, I mentioned that we have completed beneficiary selection and was in the process of validating it and collecting baseline data. This exercise is now complete, and we have moved to the next stage, which is beneficiary training.

The past three months, our beneficiaries have undergone a structured and tailor-made basic business skills training provided by Street Business School. We adopted the training programme (eight modules) so that it’s relevant and easily accessible by the ultra-poor women we are supporting. Although challenging, the training programme was an eye-opener both for us and the women. We have seen incredible changes in attitude and enthusiasm shown by the women during the training and during their graduation. The women received a certificate as recognition for their hard work and new skills acquired.

In addition to the training programme, the beneficiaries also received mentorship support, help with the formation of savings and loans group, group registration and opening of a group’s bank account. Also, to help reduce anxiety due to loss of income during the training, we provided the women food packages which were well received.

We are currently assessing their existing businesses (those who are in business) and also map out livelihood options the women could engage in. Once business viability assessment is done, and the women’s business knowledge is assessed as adequate, they will receive a productive asset in the form of live animals (goats, sheep cows), donkey carts, sewing machines and stock of goods for those who are keen to start or expand their small enterprises. God willing, by the end of March 2020, all women would have received their asset.

We are excited by the changes we have seen so far as the result of the training, and we hope that once the asset is transferred, the women will unleash their business acumen and start a sustainable business. Because we know in our community women have played a leading role in providing for their families, we are confident many children who would have otherwise gone to bed hungry will now be able to sleep well. We thank you for having been part of this journey and would love to see you continue with us to reach more women in a similar situation.

As we approach the #IWD in early march, let me take this opportunity to request you for your support as we prepare ourselves for the Girl Fund Campaign. Please keep an eye on an email which will go out soon in that regard.

Thank you so much for your support and generosity.

Thank you, and May God bless you.

Abdirashid Ali

Executive Director

The handover event was witnessed by CEC Agriculture & Livestock Madam Johara, County Director of Education, County Director of TSC and Chief Office Education and Vocational Training and Head Teachers of recipient schools and other officials.

The institutions receiving books today are; Lafey Sub-county: Lafey and Garri Secondary Schools, Lafey and Kaboul Primary Schools. Mandera East: Buru Buru and Aresa girls Secondary, Bulla Mpya and Mandera DEB Primary Schools and Mandera Teachers Training College and Mandera Technical Training College.

Halima was chosen as a beneficiary of GENCAD’s inaugural micro-credit project along with 10 of her village residents. She took an income generating loan of Sh15, 000. She used this money to buy herself a new sewing machine. Her shop is in a strategic location in the local market and receives a lot of customers daily making 1500 shillings daily.
Confident about the sales and her hard work. She paid back her loan and saved a significant amount of money together with her group Hasbunallah. Halima is an inspiration to many people struggling in-life today. She is a role model for other struggling women in Elwak. Halima recently felt much rewarded after she sold her old sewing machine and replaced with a new one. Thank you for making that possible.

She shared her enjoy with GENCAD’s project coordinator, Zakiya.
“In the past, I used to take my children clothes to tailors, but now I am happy that I can do it myself and support them at the same time. Thanks to GENCAD, I can confidently take another Loan and pay back with no worries.”

Without the support of wonderful donors like yourself, this wouldn’t have been possible. Please continue to support our cause as we do our best to lift out of poverty our women, one woman at a time.

You will also be glad to hear that in August we shall be launching a grant scheme for 100 women like Halima. We shall let you know about this project once the grant is officially announced by the institutional funder.

Thank and May God bless you.

Abdirashid Ali
Executive Director.

Also, the current beneficiaries are doing their best to catch up with their repayment and also making the most of their Income to improve their families economic condition. One such family is Jamila’s.

Jamila, a resident of Elwak Bula Wajir, is a member of the Bula Wajir InshAallahu group. Jamila and her family were displaced from Wajir by clan conflicts in 2013. The conflict not only uprooted them from their homes but also destroyed their assets. While in Wajir, they owned a grocery store and also practised small scale farming. They arrived in Elwak to seek protection and restart their lives from scratch including setting up a temporary house, economic activities and education for their children. Re-establishing themselves has not been easy for them and the rest of IDPs.

Therefore being selected for this programme was a relief for Jamila and her family. She received the initial loan of Ksh.15,000 to set up a small- scale grocery store. During the first year, she saved an average of about Ksh 6000 per month and repaid the loan in one year. She was selected again to benefit from another loan which she is repaying at an agreed rate. Jamila has now an estimated capital of about Ksh 40,000 which with further support she can use to expand her business. When asked what her goal is she responded: “ I would like to establish a vehicle repair garage for my sons who are now qualified mechanics and also support my daughters to continue with education”.

GENCAD microfinance women empowerment project helped Jamila to build her confidence and proved her as a woman entrepreneur. Her success story is an example for other women in rural self-help group that they too can do well with the right support. Thank all our donors and supporters for the investment in women like Jamila so that they can support their families and hopefully graduate from poverty. Jamila is looking forward to receiving more help from GENCAD and other well-wishers.

Thank you and may God bless you.

The concept of microfinance is not new. Its origin lies in the numerous traditional and informal systems of credit that have existed in developing economies for centuries. GENCAD international see microfinance as a means for providing more efficient aid to low-income families in rural areas. GENCAD has supported 75 women through microfinance in the northeastern part of Kenya, Mandera. The money donated by our wonderful supporters is provided as a small credit to the poor, allowing them to develop economic activities.

GENCAD project coordinator visited Khadija, one of the beneficiaries recently during her field visit.

Khadija is a 55-year-old mother of four who lost her husband during the clan conflict in Wajir, which forced her to flee; she ended up in Elwak with her four children and three grandchildren. She was devastated by the death of her husband. The trauma of losing her husband and the challenges of bringing up the children on her own placed much emotional strain on her. Shortly after they camped in Elwak as IDPs, Khadija experienced further loss when her eldest son passed away leaving her with his three children.

‘‘ When left on your own, you have to push boundaries and make things happen. When you are weak, you are done.’’  Khadija Said.

Khadija whose primary economic activity was pastoralism before she fled didn’t know where to start from; she survived on food aid and sometimes sleeping hungry.

‘‘I sometimes go to the neighbourhoods to do household work and buy food for my family. ’ she said

During GENCAD team visit in 2015 for the women empowerment through microfinance project, Khadija was identified by the village elders because of her vulnerable status.

Khadija received her first phase of the ksh15,000 loan; she immediately started buying milk from herders and selling it in town, Khadija’s economic status has since then improved abundantly. Thank you for making this possible.

‘‘The income generating loan I received was beneficial.  I can now support my family and  I request further support from GENCAD so that I can support my children’s high school education.’’

There are 100s of women like Khadija whose lives have not been touched, ‘‘every time there is a conflict we as the women and the children suffer,’’ she concluded. Khadija prays for peace. Khadija is up to date with her repayment and is hoping to receive more.

We plan to disburse loans to 25 women in September 2018. This was made possible by a fantastic fundraising effort by our supporters in July this year.  With your continued support, we shall continue to support vulnerable women in Mandera county and beyond. We thank you for your support and pray that you will continue lending us your helping hand. Thank you and may God bless you.