I have today held a great meeting with the Maendeleo ya Wanawake national secretariat led by the country chairperson, Mrs. Rahab Mwikali Mwiu.
Women empowerment remains the most impactful and sustainable way to improve the quality of life for families and citizens in general. Mothers are mindful of humanity and have the wellbeing of the entire family at heart and therefore, supporting them inadvertently means supporting the entire nation.
My government has made remarkable strides in improving the quality of lives for our mothers and our children. Our 650 solar powered boreholes across the county have brought clean water closer to the homes for both domestic and agricultural use, greatly reducing the time and energy spent by our mothers in search of water. We have also provided 10,000 litre capacity water tanks to all primary schools and some religious organizations within the county, providing water for the schools and families close to these facilities.
The free vocational training at our 40 centres further provide our young girls with the necessary skill sets to be self reliant and employable citizens upon graduation.
We have also brought health care, including cancer testing closer to the people, meaning our mothers and children have greater access to quality healthcare even in the villages. Our ambulances, one in every location have provided our mothers with emergency support that they greatly require especially during pregnancy.
Women also remain the key beneficiaries to our agricultural programs including the free seedlings, free chics for agribusiness and the free tractor program that saves our farmers, who are usually women, alot of time that would otherwise be spent at the farms.
Recently, my government built the Machakos Gender Based Violence (BGV) recovery centre that provides refuge to women victims of gender based violence. I condemn GBV in all its forms and nature, however, wherever it happens, I encourage women faced by the ill act across the county to be courageous and seek support and protection at the centre.
I am also humbled by the decision by the Maendeleo ya wanawake secretariat to hold their 70 year celebrations in Machakos county. Not only is it an honour to be host county of this auspicious occasion, but it also amplifies our full support, as a government towards empowering and supporting women and children.
I look forward to further engagement with members of this great organization so as to explore more ideas on how to support our women in Kenya.
