Indigenous communities are located in highly marginalized areas with limited access to basic amenities such as police stations, hospitals, health centers, and psychological support services. These services are crucial for survivors of harmful traditional practices (HTPs). Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately affected due to their gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status within their communities and society at large. Additionally, adverse climatic conditions like droughts and floods further impact their way of life, leaving them vulnerable and in need of humanitarian assistance.

Samburu Women Trust is dedicated to strengthening local initiatives at the grassroots level through sub-granting, capacity building, and technical support. Their goal is to help communities achieve their needs and aspirations. The “NKISHON” project, which supports coordinated community-led crisis response (SCLR), focuses on existing groups in Waso ward, Samburu County.

In the first cycle of the Nkishon project, 14 groups from Waso ward, Samburu East Sub-County were granted 4.4 million Kenyan shillings. The project aims to improve the communal welfare of indigenous communities by addressing the underlying factors of vulnerability and leveraging established traditional coping strategies to mitigate the effects of humanitarian crises.

With the generous support of the ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN) through Arid Lands Development Focus (ALDEF), Samburu Women Trust is implementing the Nkishon project. The project’s purpose is to strengthen existing traditional coping mechanisms to combat the devastating impacts of humanitarian crises among indigenous communities in Samburu County.