Over 1,200 women involved in beadwork across four northern Kenyan counties have collectively donated Ksh 4.6 million to support environmental conservation efforts in their communities. The initiative, led by the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), channels 5 percent of each woman’s weekly income towards the management and sustainability of community wildlife conservancies.
According to Salma Lekomet, Beadworks Production Manager at NRT, the women hail from nine conservancies in Laikipia, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu counties. Beneficiaries in Laikipia include Lekuruki, Naibung’a Lower, Naibung’a Central, and Ilngwesi conservancies. In Isiolo, Leparua is the sole participant, while Marsabit’s Melako and Samburu’s Kalama, Sera, and Westgate conservancies are also part of the initiative.
The cheque handover and award ceremony took place at Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy in Samburu County. Dignitaries present included Marsabit Deputy Governor Solomon Gubo and Mashinani Works CEO Vishal Shah, who commended the program for economically empowering women in pastoralist communities. They urged the women to continue championing environmental conservation, especially as climate change continues to threaten traditional livelihoods like livestock rearing.
The women’s beadwork, supported by NRT through the provision of materials and training, is sold both locally and in international markets. Payments are made every Friday based on the volume and quality of work delivered. On a productive week, some women earn up to Ksh 10,000.
Pamela Murijo from Ilngwesi Conservancy shared that the beadwork project has enabled women to support their families and gain respect in their communities. Maria Lekidaiyo from Melako and Joyce Lerukai from Kalama highlighted that beadwork offers a reliable source of income year-round, unlike livestock keeping, which is often affected by drought and cattle rustling.
The initiative not only provides financial independence but also strengthens women’s roles as stewards of the environment, ensuring sustainable management of natural resources across the arid and semi-arid lands of northern Kenya.
