County hands over land for construction of childcare centre

By Peter Ochieng

The directorate of gender affairs and the department of lands in Busia County on Monday handed over land for the construction of a new childcare facility.

The move comes as a relief to women, children and survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in the border County.

The one acre of land at the Agricultural Training Center (ATC), will pave the way for the development of an upgraded childcare facility, which will later expand and improve the existing childcare services, providing high-quality care for Busia's residents and visitors.

The facility, which is expected to benefit over 1,000 women across the county, will enable parents, especially women, to leave their children in safe hands while attending to other matters, including job- and business-related issues.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Pasilisa Barasa, the Chief Officer for Gender Affairs, noted that the centre will empower women.

“The centre will empower women in this County, particularly teen mothers, by providing them with the opportunity to return to school or engage in other income-generating activities,” she said.

In addition to the one acre at ATC, Vincent Wanjala, the Chief Officer for Lands and Housing revealed that the County has also handed over three plots at Busia Polytechnic for a situation room.

Alongside the child care facility, a situation room will be established to provide essential support to survivors of GBV, through offering counselling services for both adults and children, and serve as a referral point for those affected by GBV as well as a toll-free helpline will also be set up to ensure prompt assistance.

The Directorate of Gender Affairs will play a key role in supporting the establishment and operation of the situation room, which aims to enhance the county's response to GBV and improve services for survivors.

The initiative backs the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed earlier this year between the Directorate of Gender Affairs, and the Collaborative Center for Gender and Development.