Income Generating Activities - IGA's

These are activities to generate income directly in the village of Kanyakoo towards creating self-sustainability to KSHI, more so to finance Micro Credit Program.

Currently we have the following activities:

Farm Project - FP

This is an initiative under KSHI started in June 2004. It consists of a group of 40 people producing horticulture in a farm that was donated by 3 of them near lake Victoria.

The production is geared towards:

Two people elected by the community manage the project, and they report to the KSHI Steering Committee. Fredrick Osimba (a farmer) is in charge of organizing the work in the farm. Consolata Awino (a business woman) manages the sales of the produce to the people.

They work in a group of 5 one day a week using their own farming tools. Each group is composed of a mixture of men and women for easier management of heavy and light duties in the farm.

The group started cultivating tomatoes, onions and sukumawiki (kales). At the beginning they met different agricultural challenges:

  • The tomatoes failed due to a disease, that the group could not handle. They substituted the tomatoes with the production of indigenous vegetables namely: Boo, Mito, Dek, and Osuga that did very well. The group also acquired a hand sprayer to control crop diseases.
  • During the night the hippos intrude into the farm eating the crops. The group intends to put up a fence around the farm.
  • Some of the group members were not regular in attendance during their working days in the farm due to different reasons. The farm manager appointed leaders in each group of 5 to monitor and note each member’s attendance.

Despite the challenges, there was some horticulture production that enabled the farmers to earn by buying the crops at a lower price compared to the village market.

Now there is a possibility to expand the farming project in a new bigger land. A part of this land has to been hired.

Thanks to the income generated from the sales of Kenyan handicraft in Italy, the Financial Management Committee decided to buy a water pump to increase the production.

The farming group wants to spearhead the realization of sustainable agriculture in the community. This needs formation and training in farming skills and methods that the farming group will experiment in the farming project so that they can apply also in their personal lands.

Tailoring Unit - TU

This is a unit under KSHI, aimed at offering Tailoring Training and Clothes Production.

Tailoring Training

This initiative is thought in favor of the young boys and girls who have completed the primary school but has no possibility to continue with the secondary education due to:

The KSHI want to start a free non-formal basic Tailoring Course conducted by paid skilled local trainers. The future intention is to formalize the training so that the trainees can undertake Government Trade Test.
This department will not only offer skills but also a training job opportunity.

Clothes Production

This is a move towards self-sustainability of the Kanyakoo Initiatives with focus on the Micro Credit Program.
The production department intends to produce:

This will give the following opportunities:

The Management of the Tailoring Unit is under the KSHI Steering Committee through a leader who is elected by the community. Her role is to co-ordinate the training and the production activities and report to the KSHI Steering Committee.

In the month of January 2005 the Financial Management Committee in conjunction with the community decided to use the generous donation of 1000 euro from “Insieme per …” an Italian group of volunteers, to put up the building of the Tailoring Unit and the Meeting Place.
The people of Kanyakoo Self Help group in a typical luo way with the help of a few paid skilled workers built the structures.
At the moment we are evaluating the budget of the pending facilities for starting the Tailoring Training and the Clothes Production.
Below are the pending facilities:

Other foreseen costs are:

Basketry

This is an income generating activity to the project and to the individuals participating.
KSHI thought to finance in the August 2005 a basketry weaving training to 22 women and young girls, to promote the development of the local textile industry with the production of baskets and of other articles useful and “sought-after” from the local community (like mats, hats).

Responsible Tourism - RT

This is an opportunity for people who want to have an experience with the Kanyakoo Luo community. The Luo people still carry along with them a lot of interesting traditions. The project being situated in a rural set up, you have the chance to see and experience the people of Kanyakoo community in their lives. Rising very early in the morning would permit you to fish with fishermen in the lake Victoria. Preparing typical Luo dishes with firewood with women at their homesteads would be of much interest. In the evenings a walk in the market would enable you to see different women operating small-scale businesses.

Asembo bay lies along the Winam gulf in the Nyanza Province, from Kisumu.
The road out of Kisumu to Asembo is littered with huge rocks and boulders of every size and shape imaginable. The rock structure here is reputed to be one of the oldest in the world dating back to pre-Cambrian times. As you drive in, the rock formation gets bigger and bigger. Against the clearest of blue skies, the rocks create a stark mosaic of granite against the sky. A turning on the side of the road leads to the rock of KIT MIKAYI (THE STONE OF THE FIRST WIFE) a sacred rock. The rock is set amidst local Luo homesteads. (The Luos are the third largest community in Kenya). From a distance, it gives the impression of two people standing. You can walk into the rocks through the narrow slits. Local legends abound about the rock. The ancestors found the rocks there. ‘ This community make sacrifices here during times of drought or other troubles”

Further through the vast landscapes you see stretches of Luo homesteads and vast farms. Lake Victoria lingers on your left as you drive further. Through the earth road, you see the lake in front of you, an indication that you are approaching Asembo bay.

Asembo bay lies on the shore of lake Victoria. Here there’s an old shopping center called KAMITO that was started by Indians. The Indians inhabited and were doing business at this place in pre and post independence time. They shipped their merchandise through the lake from Kisumu. Later the business was not doing well and they moved back to Kisumu. But traces of the Indians can be seen, through the temple, the buildings and the cemetery that they left behind. The locals doing business now occupy the buildings. The temple was turned to a police post.

At the pier in Asembo bay, a ferry (Kenya railways) operates twice a week to Kisumu. At the pier you can see Ndere Island (where there are wild animals), the Homa hills, and the Uyoma peninsula.

A boat ride would take you to the different Islands on lake Victoria. Islands like Rusinga Island, Mageta Island (which is occupied by fishermen), Mfangano Island, Sifo Island, Sirafuongo Island, Ruodhi Island, and many other small islands.

Kanyakoo self –help initiatives (KSHI) being a young project, its currently embarking on formation trainings, in team building, group dynamics which encompasses the leadership skills. The project is also starting to train women in business and loan managements, in readiness for micro credit program.

How to stay

KSHI has two guesthouses, which can accommodate six people. The guesthouses are fully furnished. Guest can prepare their meals and can be assisted by the locals in making some African luo dishes. Guests can also stay with families. This will give them an ample opportunity to learn and experience way of life and the luo cultures. The guesthouses are at an affordable rate. Guests can be involved in the activities of different programs under KSHI.

Our contact


P.O. BOX. Asembo Bay, code: 40619,Kenya
Tel. +254-733-809850, +254-720-226560, +254-721-230393
E-mail Kanyakoo_asembo@yahoo.com
Account name Kanyakoo Self Help Group
Account number 0110014152400, Swift code: kcookena
Bank Co-operative Bank of Kenya, Kisumu Kenya.
Swift code kcookena