Women as Custodians of Continuos Creation and Their Holistic Empowerment a Case Study of Oldonyiro Women Group
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Date
2001-03
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Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
Real development is only realised when it addresses the very needs of the
people. Kenya like any other contemporary society undergoes many changes from all
aspects of life that is economical, political, social, cultural and religious changes. All
these affect women in one way or another. This study is based on Samburu women in
Oldonyiro Division. The study seeks first to get the information from the Samburu
community especially the women through questioner about the hash climate, cultural
background of the Samburu people, their nomadic kind of life, occurrence of draughts,
banditry or insecurity, economic problems, illiteracy and the poor attitude of the
Samburu people. All these factors have hindered development in Samburu land in the
past.
Therefore, the researcher together with the community suggests other
alternatives that will help eradicate these negative factors. The community would do
this by initiating income-generating projects to improve the economy, improve the
environment by planting trees, encouraging the government to enforce both formal and
informal education, step up security in the area, helping the Samburu people to seek
alternatives concerning their nomadic life, and some of their culture and their attitude
towards life. All these factors have hindered development in the area for many years.
Therefore, the women of Oldonyiro Parish have taken it upon themselves to
embark on the development that would answer their very needs. They do this by
initiating icome-generating projects in order to he self-reliant, and improving the
environment by planting trees. They have planned to be the pioneers in initiating the
informal education for themselves through seminars and workshops. They Vdould like to
encourage the government to reinforce formal education especially to the girl-child who because of bad cultural practises have been left behind almost in every thing. This has
jeopardised the equality between men and women in Samburu land and as a result the
women have never been part of the decision making with the elders of the community.
The earth is our common heritage, upon which our future development relies.
Sustainable development will be achieved only if humankind accept the unique
contribution of women and men as equal partners with a shared responsibility for the
care of planet.
Although both genders are equally dependent on the capacities of ecosystems,
men and women's perception of the human relationship with nature are governed by
tradition and their different gender related roles. Traditional rural women especially in
Samburu land are nearer to nature than men. They almost have total dependency on the
environment and therefore have realised that true development would not be achieved
unless the environment is enhanced as this will enforce other kind of development in the
area.
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Keywords
Custodians, Empowerment, Oldonyiro, Women Group, Women