Kenya

We are working towards improvements in maternal and child health outcomes. To do this, we work closely with the government, and in particular with the county governments who are implementing those services. 

Our approach is to strengthen the systems that are in place. This includes building the capacity of health service providers to deliver on their mandate. In addition to providing resources, we also develop their ability to plan and budget, manage finance and logistics, provide leadership and governance. For example, we support health centers to better anticipate spikes in demand and to ensure they have everything in place to respond to the increased demand.

The ultimate goal is to improve the food security of those living in extreme poverty and prevent hunger by helping to improve harvest yields. We do this through the provision of seeds, tools and other resources, and by helping to develop skills for alternative income generating activities. 

At the same time, we work with local and national governments to ensure that communities have access to functioning markets. We advocate for the provision of the necessary infrastructure and other supports, such as access to financial services. We also lobby for the development of a comprehensive Social Protection system, so that extremely poor people have a safety net in place.

A major focus of our work is on strengthening the participation of communities in government systems. We help to increase the capacity of communities to engage with the county governments and we help to strengthen the county government’s systems to allow for the effective participation of those living in extreme poverty. Finally, we help to increase people’s access to information on their rights within the newly installed county decision making process. 

We do this through Community Conversations, a forum where community members  work together to identify and address the underlying causes of extreme poverty. We also work with local Civil Society Organizations to develop their capacity to play an oversight role in terms of the county government's actions. For example, in tracking their delivery on commitments made and the release of resources that have been promised to communities.