UK-Funded Anti-Poverty Programme Launches in Kenya's Drought-Hit Turkana County
Lodwar, 20 January 2026
The Kuza Jamii Programme has received unanimous approval to operate in Turkana County, targeting 1,500 extremely poor households including refugees from Kakuma and Kalobeyei camps. This UK Foreign Office-funded initiative arrives as the county faces worsening drought conditions, offering a structured graduation model that moves families from extreme poverty to economic resilience through entrepreneurship training, business grants, and village savings associations rather than temporary relief aid.
Strategic Approval Through County Coordination
The County Steering Group (CSG), which coordinates all partner interventions in Turkana, unanimously approved the Kuza Jamii Programme’s request during a routine coordination meeting held in Lodwar last week [1]. This formal approval process demonstrates the programme’s commitment to working within established governance structures in Kenya’s second-largest county, which covers 77,000 square kilometres in the north-western region [1]. Deputy Governor Dr John Erus welcomed the initiative, praising Kuza Jamii for seeking formal clearance through the County Steering Group, noting that this approach promotes coordination, accountability, and alignment with county priorities [1].
Targeting Both Host and Refugee Communities
The programme’s beneficiary structure reflects a deliberate focus on inclusive development, with 1,100 of the 1,500 total beneficiaries drawn from the Kalobeyei and Kakuma refugee settlements [1]. This represents 73.333 per cent of the programme’s direct beneficiaries being refugees, highlighting the initiative’s commitment to supporting displaced populations alongside host communities. State Department for Social Development representative Mutuku Kamau emphasised that the initiative is designed to benefit both host and refugee communities, enhancing inclusive social development solutions [1]. Beyond direct household beneficiaries, the programme also targets up to 500 business groups and 82 Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLAs) [1].
Structured Graduation Model Replaces Traditional Relief
The UK-funded programme, supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), employs a structured poverty graduation model that focuses on building household resilience through sustainable livelihoods rather than short-term relief assistance [1]. During their presentation to the CSG, Kuza Jamii representatives explained that their approach systematically graduates extremely poor households from conditions of extreme poverty into economically resilient and self-reliant groups [1]. The intervention combines entrepreneurship training, business start-up grants, and the formation of Village Savings and Loan Associations to enable beneficiaries to generate and sustain income over time [1].
Implementation Framework and Regional Context
Following the 19 January 2026 approval, programme implementers are expected to work with the County Government to develop a formal implementation framework, including a memorandum of understanding, to guide the rollout of activities in Turkana [1]. The consortium is currently active in three counties—Turkana, Wajir, and Samburu—where it has distinguished itself through interventions aligned with economic inclusion and the transition from relief-based assistance to sustainable livelihoods [1]. The programme’s entry into Turkana comes at a particularly critical time, as the county is experiencing worsening drought conditions that have left many households in need of support [1]. County Commissioner Julius Kavita and Jackson Nakusa of the Turkana Professionals association, alongside representatives of various partners, attended the County Steering Group meeting where the approval was granted [1].