Red Cross to partner with Bomet County in implementing projects

Bomet, Monday, April 24, 2023

K.N.A By Lamech Willy. A.

Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has partnered with the County Government of Bomet for the last ten years in development projects aimed at improving residents’ lives. 

In a memorandum of understanding that was signed between KRCS and the County Government of Bomet in the year 2014, the humanitarian organization agreed with the county government to focus on the development agenda of the county that included the four thematic areas of Food security, Health, Water, and sanitation. 

Bomet Governor Prof. Hillary Barchok held talks recently with the KRC team led by Lucy Sembei and Ms. Maria Twerda from the British Red Cross during the handover of the Nogirwet irrigation project in Chebunyo ward that the humanitarian society had funded.

“We applaud the contribution and the Support of Kenya Red Cross Society to our development agenda. Key among them is the implementation of the Bomet Integrated Development Plan (BDIP), a product of a 2014 MOU between the KRCS and the County Government with a focus on four thematic areas: Food security, Health, Nutrition, and Water & Sanitation” noted the governor.

The governor further noted that the overall goal of the projects is to contribute to sustainable development among the residents of Bomet County. 

The key milestones projects that have been achieved through the partnership include the construction of Nogirwet dispensary, declaration of 10 villages as open defecation free (ODF), support of 200 farmers with farm inputs including Drip irrigation systems, vegetable seeds, and tissue culture bananas and construction of Sigor water supply system which serves 60,000 households in Chepalungu Sub-County.

Following the successful implementation of the BIDP, the Bomet Integrated Food Security and Livelihood project was realized in July 2022 with funding from the British Red Cross.

The two-year project that was anticipated to run from July 2022-June 2024 is targeting smallholder farmers in the Chebunyo ward, Chepalungu Sub-County and its overall objective is to improve the livelihoods of residents by enhancing food security. 

Statistics indicate the project targets a total of 617 beneficiaries including 517 in horticulture smallholder farming and 100 in poultry farming. 

“This is a testimony of the goodwill of the humanitarian society is offering in helping improve the lives of our people and we shall continue working hand-in-hand with them to realize the development needs of our people,” said Barchok