Group Leaders Engagement and Needs Assessment – Chesikaki Ward

Yamoi Women Entrepreneurship Initiative recently conducted its first Group Leaders Engagement and Community Needs Assessment in Chesikaki Ward, Bungoma County, marking an important milestone in the Initiative’s journey to empower women through entrepreneurship, skills development, financial empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods.

The engagement brought together 32 women’s group leaders representing approximately 1,075 women from across the ward. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the local administration, the Ministry of Livestock Officer, and community mobilizers, whose support was instrumental in bringing together women leaders from different villages.

The primary objective of the engagement was to introduce the vision of Yamoi Women Entrepreneurship Initiative, build relationships with community leaders, and gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing women within the community.

Using structured Group Leadership Mapping and Community Needs Assessment tools, participants shared information on their existing economic activities, skills, aspirations, and the barriers they face in starting or expanding income-generating enterprises. The exercise also captured important baseline data on women’s groups, membership, leadership structures, and areas requiring support.

One of the key insights from the engagement was the strong interest in sustainable livelihood opportunities that can improve household incomes while strengthening food security and economic resilience. Poultry farming emerged as one of the priority enterprise opportunities identified by many of the women’s groups and will inform the design of the Yamoi Golden Eggs Project, alongside other enterprise development initiatives that respond to community needs.

Beyond data collection, the meeting provided an opportunity to build trust, encourage dialogue, and reaffirm Yamoi’s commitment to working alongside communities rather than prescribing solutions. The positive reception from local leaders and participants reinforced the importance of collaborative partnerships in delivering sustainable community development.

The information gathered during the engagement will guide the planning and implementation of future programmes, including entrepreneurship training, skills development, financial empowerment, agribusiness initiatives, and other women-led enterprise opportunities.

This engagement represents the first of many community consultations that Yamoi Women Entrepreneurship Initiative will undertake as it works to ensure that every programme is informed by the voices, priorities, and aspirations of the women it seeks to serve.

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