At least 800 widows are reported to have changed their lives through various social and economic empowered projects in Kwale.
The founder and director of Tuwajali Wajane organization Mwanasha Gaserego said the women have tremendously transformed their lives and become self-dependent despite their past hardships.
Most women are victims of gender-based violence, intimate partner and sexual harassment by spouses’ close relatives.
According to Gaserego majority had been denied inheritance rights and thrown out of their homes after the demise of their husbands.
Some were forcefully remarried and sexually assaulted by the brothers-in-law who still champion the outdated wife inheritance tradition.
Those who refused to have the illegal affairs were brutally mistreated and prevented from owning their husbands' property and denied children's custody.
But Gaserego said through the organization many widows have been enlightened on human rights and empowered socioeconomically to sustain themselves.
"We introduced them to several income-generating activities and linked them with rights organizations to help support their lives," she said.
The women are also enrolled on adult education programs because many are illiterate due to the vice of early marriages.
They are taught how to read and write and later introduced to lawyers from the law society of Kenya facilitated by the Supporting Inclusive Resource Development organization.
Through SIRD the widows are sensitized on rights protection on matters of land inheritance, GBVs, equity and appropriate channels to find justice.
This is because most families take advantage of the widows since property certificates are owned by husbands not wives.
Gaserego said the women are also offered counselling services and trained on decision making as well as empowered to have access to equal employment and livelihood opportunities.
She said after the training, the organization looks for potential investors and women empowerment groups where they are helped to start livelihood projects and have access to soft loans to support their activities.
Currently, over 80 widows are benefiting from a Global One organization's agricultural program.
The women are supported to run environment conservation projects aimed at fighting the effects of global warming and enhancing livelihoods and improving standards of living through agricultural activities.
"Some widows are being assisted to manage kitchen garden farming intended to preserve environment and food production," said Gaserego.
Tuwajali Wajane is a Kwale based women affairs organisation funded by Fazil Chinoy, an Indian NGO.
Gaserego spoke on Saturday while marking the International Women's Day at Vingujini secondary school in Msambweni.
County coordinator for social department Consolota Machuka commended the widows for remaining strong.
She said some of the women have become successful compared to the ones who are enjoying the full support of their husbands.
Machuka said it is encouraging to see widows overcome challenges to fend for their families.
"These women have proved that being a widow is not a disease. You can make it no matter what, " she said.
She said the government will continue to give endless support in fighting injustices against widows and empower them socioeconomically.
Come Together Widows and Orphans organization chair Diana Kamanda told widows to fight for survival and not to undermine themselves.
She said being a widow should not be an excuse for living a horrible life adding that life must go on.
Kamanda is a victim of GBV and a widow. Her husband tried to kill her and committed suicide in 2013.
She said widows must first value and appreciate themselves to earn respect.
"Being a widow doesn't mean, you can now become a beggar asking for money everywhere. Be presentable, work hard and you will be appreciated," she said.
Faida Hassan, 46, a widow with seven children whose husband was hacked to death in 2020 said life turned against her after her man's death but through Tuwajali Wajane, she has managed to sustain her wellbeing.
Hassan is a beneficiary of the Global One agricultural projects and she earns a lot of money from growing and selling vegetables.
She also runs small businesses through the empowerment of Tuwajali Wajane organization.
(Edited by Francis Wadegu)
