The story of Riziki Omar is one of resilience and the value of local knowledge among the Aweer, a vulnerable community on Manda Island in Lamu County that relies on subsistence farming and fishing. After the tragic loss of her goats many years back, Riziki has a second chance after receiving goats through a KEMFSED grant.
The story of Riziki Omar is one of resilience and the value of local knowledge among the Aweer, a vulnerable community on Manda Island in Lamu County.
Riziki, 71, was among the early people from her community to settle on the island after they were displaced from their homes in northern Kenya in the late 1960s.
The Aweer are a vulnerable group with high illiteracy rates and low incomes. They mainly rely on subsistence farming and fishing
“We had nothing but started clearing bushes for farming,’’ says the mother of four. “There were elephants, lions and other wild animals.”
Starting with only two goats, Riziki raised a flock of 45 over several years. But in a tragic twist of fate, she lost all except one to hyenas that often raided the villages before they were driven away by game rangers.
Her troubles did not end there. On her way back home after selling the remaining goat, Riziki was bitten by a snake, forcing her to spend the proceeds on medical treatment.
She never quite recovered from the loss but concentrated on eking out a living from farming.
Luckily, Riziki has a second chance, thanks to a Sh1.3-million grant given by the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-Economic Development (KEMFSED) project to the Boni Community Self-Help Group.
“We registered this group after we were advised by officers from the county,” says group chairman Hashim Abdalla, a fishing boat coxswain.
The group bought 105 goats, including five bucks. They distributed the goats to each member to rear, except the bucks that circulate among the households. By April, three of the goats had kids.
Riziki is confident about the future. “Come back after two years and see for yourself,” she says. “The goats will have multiplied as I do not intend to sell them soon.”
Kadii Mohammed, 46, a mother of six school-going children, says her family had never owned livestock.
Says she: “The goats are a blessing. Once they increase, we will sell some and get money to educate our children.”
She and her husband only cultivate two of the eight acres of land they own due to lack of farm inputs. With income from goat-rearing, they hope to expand their farm.
Through the KEMFSED grant, the group has been empowered not just financially, but also through training in key skills such as animal husbandry, group management and bookkeeping, which are crucial for sustaining their efforts.
Esha Abdalla dropped out of school after Class 8, got married and settled down to a life of subsistence farming and fishing. Today, she is the group secretary.
“I am responsible for keeping records of all our meetings and the business transactions,” she says, proud of her new role. Boni Community Self-Help Group is among 24 groups that received over Sh55 million in the first round of the KEMFSED grants.
Self-Help Group
