Who we are

Kanyakoo self-help initiatives (KSHI) is a non-profitable self-help group started in March 2004, working with about 30 families in Kanyakoo, a village of about 1500 inhabitants on the shores of Lake Victoria in the western part of Kenya. The village is situated in East Asembo, Bondo District in the Nyanza Province in western Kenya.

KSHI main objective is to cub poverty through self-help initiatives. The project has been started through trainings and initiation of small income generating activities; to make the community members realize their potentialities and creatively utilizing them in common wealth creation.

KSHI has a Financial Management Committee elected by the Kanyakoo community. The seventeen member Committee consists of the program leaders, the project coordinator and community representatives. They manage the project’s finances with the consultation of the community.

The project coordinator: Peter Okoyo Owe
The chairperson: Rosa Ochiel
The vice-chairperson: Roseline Osimba
The secretary: Maurice Ochwedo
The vice-secretary: Sabine Okello
The treasurer: Pelesia Toko
The organizing secretary: Esao Otieno
The vice-organizing secretary: Dan Okello
The Community representatives: George Arwa and Maurice Juma
Farm Project leaders: Fredrick Osimba and Consolata Awino
EPP leaders: Cleophas Okota and John Otieno
WEEP leaders: Tabitha Otieno and Roseline Osimba
YEEP leaders: Tom Okeyo and Paul Otieno

Currently KSHI is running 4 main programs:

Education and Empowerment Program-EEP,
Women Employment and Enterprise Program-WEEP,
Youth Employment and Empowerment Program-YEEP,
Micro-Credit Program.

These programs are being realized through Donations from Italy and Germany. In its effort to move towards self-sustainability KSHI has thought to start self Income Generating Activities (IGAs) to finance its Programs.

The IGAs are: Farm Project, Tailoring Unit, Responsible Tourism.

Through the funds KSHI:

provided in December 2004 volley ball and netball facilities for the community,
has built in January 2005 the Tailoring Unit, Meeting Place and bought a water pump,
was able to pay in February 2005 paid a full year secondary school fees and lunch program to one of the youths
built guest houses

About the Community

Kanyakoo is a village lying 53 km away from Kisumu town (the 3rd largest town in Kenya), along the shores of Lake Victoria. Up to now in this rural area the roads have no tarmacs, and there is no electricity in this village. People use the water from the lake directly for domestic purposes. The presence of the lake has also provided breeding grounds for mosquitoes this causing malaria to the inhabitants.

The inhabitants of Kanyakoo are Luos, the 3rd largest ethnic group in Kenya. The Nilotic tribe historically came from Sudan. They depend mainly on the lake for fishing but also do small subsistence farming, businesses. They still maintain a lot of traditions and customs that have contributed positively and negatively in their lives. For example the polygamous life (the marrying of many wives) and the wife inheritance have contributed mainly in the rapid spread of HIV. However the culture of inherent solidarity has seen many Luos helping and caring for each other, like during funerals the members of the community always contribute in helping the bereaved family. Such funeral committee gave birth to 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