http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/15710 2026-04-05T23:41:02Z 2026-04-05T23:41:02Z ECHUKULE LOSINYEN JEREMIAH http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/17483 2024-12-19T06:03:47Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

EFFECTIVENESS OF HUNGER SAFETY NET PROGRAMME IN MITIGATING FOOD INSECURITY IN TURKANA WEST SUB-COUNTY, TURKANA COUNTY, KENYA ECHUKULE LOSINYEN JEREMIAH The global commitment to social safety nets is crucial in addressing poverty and food insecurity. However, challenges persist, especially in regions like Kenya's arid areas where initiatives like the Hunger Safety Net Programme face obstacles in achieving timely and efficient implementation. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the HSNP in addressing food insecurity in Turkana West Sub-County, Kenya. This study aimed to achieve three specific objectives: (i) assessing HSNP’s impact on food security among beneficiaries, (ii) evaluating improvements in social wellbeing, and (iii) determining HSNP's role in promoting accumulation of productive assets. The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach provided a solid theoretical framework. It employed a concurrent mixed-methods design. The study sampled 365 HSNP beneficiary households from a population of 7,333 HSNP beneficiary households, and 30 key informants. Data was gathered from household heads via questionnaires, as well as through interview guides administered to key informants. Analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS and results presented using frequency pie charts and tables. Results reveal that the Hunger Safety Net Programme has significantly improved food security, social wellbeing, and economic resilience among beneficiaries in Turkana West Sub-County. For food security, the most notable improvements were seen in diet diversity (78.4% of respondents reported positive changes) and overall food security (78.4% affirmed improvements). In social wellbeing, healthcare access improved significantly, with 81.5% of respondents acknowledging better access, while income levels also rose, with 79.9% reporting higher incomes. Regarding asset accumulation, 80.4% of respondents indicated that HSNP had strengthened household savings, and 80.4% saw gains in productive asset retention and management. These results underscore the program’s role in promoting resilience to food insecurity and socio-economic advancement within vulnerable households. Recommendations from the study emphasize tailored support programs within the HSNP framework, community involvement and capacity-building initiatives for beneficiaries to ensure the program's effectiveness in addressing household needs. Further research avenues include longitudinal studies to track HSNP's sustained impacts, comparative analyses with other social protection programs, and gender-sensitive investigations into intra-household dynamics, providing insights for program refinement and optimization. The study’s findings offers key insights to aid the Kenyan government and development partners in refining evidence-based policy and program design. Additionally, it supports academic research, advancing social cash transfer research to address food insecurity in vulnerable areas.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z ELIZABETH TAKAI http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/17449 2024-12-04T13:46:02Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

INFLUENCE OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES ON HOUSEHOLD DECISION MAKING IN NAROK NORTH SUB COUNTY, NAROK COUNTY, KENYA. ELIZABETH TAKAI According to the World Bank research, women's empowerment is the improvement of their ability to make formerly restricted strategic life choices. Notwithstanding progress, women's involvement in decision-making—especially in pastoralist cultures and underdeveloped countries—remarks on still remain under close scrutiny. The impact of women's empowerment projects on household decision-making in Narok North Sub-County is investigated in this paper. The aim is to assess how programs in health care, microfinance, and capacity building affect women's involvement in household decisions. Descriptive survey methodology combined with systems theory and feminist philosophy forms the foundation of the research. From 59,996 houses in Narok North Sub-County, a sample of 382 respondents was acquired using cluster, simple random, and purposive selection methods. While secondary data were obtained via document analysis, primary data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. Population parameters were estimated by means of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 27 evaluation of quantitative data. The results show that women's family decision-making is much influenced by all evaluated variables: microfinance programs, health care projects, and capacity development. Descriptive data, tables, and charts displaying the results of the research highlight how well these initiatives help women participate in family decisions. The results of this research are significant: it shows the effectiveness of empowerment programs and the importance of providing women with better possibilities for capacity-building. This may inspire women's more active involvement in decision-making procedures. The government should improve capacity-building initiatives to empower women with the knowledge and tools necessary for effective home decision-making.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z OLITA I. FAITH http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/17442 2024-12-04T12:48:09Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

INFLUENCE OF JIGGER INFESTATION ON ATTENDANCE RATES OF STUDENTS IN PUBLIC DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF BUMULA SUB COUNTY, BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENY OLITA I. FAITH Studies showed the severity of jigger infestation, among community members generally from the children, youth, and aged population. Still, there is little documented evidence of, how jigger infestation influences students' attendance, therefore, this study established the influence of jigger infestation on students' attendance rates in public day secondary schools in Bumula Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya. The specific objectives were; to determine the extent of jigger infestation among students, to assess the influence of jigger infestation on attendance rates, and to examine strategies employed to mitigate jigger infestation among students in Bumula Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya. The study used Ecological Systems theory and adopted a mixed-method research design. The study targeted 10,000 students 15- 20 years from public day secondary schools. A sample of 370 students was obtained from Krejcie and Morgan's 1970 formulae. The study purposively sampled 20 Key informants the CHPs (community health promoters), head teachers, and local Chiefs to participate in the study. The study employed primary data which was collected using structured questionnaires and interviews. secondary data was collected by studying the progress records, attendance registers, and end-term report forms. A pilot study was conducted at Kabuchai Sub-County, of Bungoma County. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27 to determine the study's findings. Data was presented using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, graphs, tables, and charts. The study also revealed a high prevalence of persistent infestation in 56.7% of students (They were absent from school due to pain, itching, and social isolation). It also indicated jigger infestation had influenced attendance rates. It highlighted that most schools lag behind in implementation of key measures to address the infestation. The study recommended establishing and strengthening school health clinics, conducting regular check-ups. Implement community hygiene and education programs to lessen the impact. This multi stakeholder approach is essential to address poverty and improve hygiene in schools and homes. These findings, if adopted, will guide policymakers, teachers, parents, and the community in managing and reducing jigger infestation in public secondary schools.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z ADEN ANG’ABA ESOKOMI http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/17435 2024-12-03T11:19:08Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

EFFECTIVENESS OF NON-INSTITUTIONAL ACTORS’ INVOLVEMENT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COUNTY ROADS POLICY IN NAROK COUNTY, KENYA ADEN ANG’ABA ESOKOMI The implementation of local roads policies such as the County Roads Policy is a fundamental concern of modern governments since it enhances a nation’s economic competitiveness and prosperity. In Kenya, this implementation is pursued to the realization of global Sustainable Development Goals, the continental Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), the national Vision 2030, the National Quality Infrastructure Policy (2019), the National Spatial Plan and the County Spatial Plan; all of which edify the need for quality roads. The introduction of county governments by the constitution of Kenya (2010) created an extra layer for policy implementation to facilitate the attainment of national development goals through inclusion of all actors. However, the implementation of County Roads Policy has largely been dominated by the county institutions in concert with national government institutional support. This has diminished the local value contribution especially that of non institutional actors to policy development for county-level roads. This research study sought to investigate the effectiveness of non-institutional actors’ involvement in the implementation of County Roads Policy in Narok county. It aimed at establishing the non-institutional actors that exist in Narok county; the contribution of non-institutional actor networks to the implementation of County Roads Policy; the strategies used by the non-institutional actors to influence inclusion in the implementation of County Roads Policy; and the challenges that ensue in the process of implementing County Roads Policy in Narok county. The study utilized the social networking theory. The study targeted officials in the County department of Public Works, Roads and Transport and the non-institutional actors that existed in Narok county. The study utilized stratified simple random sampling as well as purposive sampling during data collection. Descriptive and correlational research designs were used. Questionnaires and interviews were used as the major research instruments to collect data. The study found out that the main non-institutional actors that exist in Narok county are political parties, media, NGOs, CBOs and households. The study also established that non-institutional actor networks have limited influence in the implementation of County Roads Policy. Furthermore, inept leadership, resource scarcity and lack of inclusion of stakeholders mostly the non-institutional actors (NIAs) were cited as the key challenges to the execution of the County Roads Policy. The study recommends the formation and sustenance of non-institutional actor networks and the combatting of the problems of inept leadership, resource scarcity, exclusion of stakeholders including NIAs and corruption if effective implementation of County Roads Policy is to be realized so as to accelerate socio-economic and political development in the nation. Finally, there is need to adopt policies on increasing the inclusion of NIAs in the implementation of County Roads Policy, increasing funds disbursement for county projects and embracing competence in implementation of public policies for sustainable development.

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