At least 800 vulnerable groups in Fafi, Lagdera and Dadaab constituencies in Garissa will benefit from Sh399 million World Bank funded projects to improve healthcare, access to basic social services and economic opportunities.
The programmes will be funded through the Kenya Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (KDRDIP).
Garissa county secretary Abdi Ali said most of the beneficiaries will be women, youth and people living with disability.
He said the three constituencies that hosted the refugees for over 20 years will have an expanded economic opportunity and enhanced environmental management and access to basic amenities.
He spoke on Saturday when he hosted the State Department for Development of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands PS Micah Powen.
Ali said the refugees caused massive environmental degradation and pressure on the dwindling natural resources in the three subcounties.
He said that 120 community groups benefited from the kitty last year. Each group received Sh500,000 towards economic empowerment.
Powon said Sh3.5 billion has been set aside this current financial year for Garissa, Wajir and Turkana counties to improve access to basic social needs, economic empowerment and environmental management.
The PS said he was optimistic that the programme that has dragged will be successfully implemented.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Powon said Garissa will receive Sh760 million to improving agriculture, health, education, and water sectors in the three constituencies.
The PS asked the county government to effectively and efficiently mobilise the technical supporting teams required for the projects throughout the implementation process.
“The facilitating partners should stick to their terms of reference of community mobilisation and capacity building. They should not compromise the implementing role of the county government at the community levels,” Powon said.
The main objective of KDRDIP project is to align all proposed projects with devolved functions for sustainability.
The PS stressed the need for the county government to play its key role in the project implementation through its Focal Person Project Implementation Support Teams (PISTs) and structures (County Technical Committee and County Steering Committee) to align all proposed projects with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), biannual and annual work plans.
“All sub-projects and community groups proposed for funding in the 2020/2021 work plan and budget need to be appraised and evaluated by the county technical committee and approved by the county steering committee for ownership by the county government,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the county project coordinator Mohamed Farah and the county project focal person Aden Bille.