For long, there has been a series of conflict within the Tana River county in regards to sharing of resources by the communities which has necessitated the need for conflict resolution. Project by clergy to empower women and youth was crafted as a means to mitigate conflict in the region.
The Inter-religious council of Tana River and Islamic Relief Kenya have partnered to design and implement a peace building and conflict prevention project in Tana River that will serve as a solution to the local communities. This project will last for the next 18 months.
According to Maxwel Lumbasi, project coordinator, who was speaking during the Tana River County Steering Committee group meeting said that the Tana River invest in peace project at a cost of Sh27.5 million funded by the Netherlands donors.
This project was set to achieve tolerance, cohesion and peace among the local tribes and communites that were frequently involved in the recent years.
Those who are the target beneficiaries of the project are the youth who are brainwashed into communal conflicts and the women who are the victims of the wars. They will be able to access cheap loans that will help to finance their businesses as well as bringing an income generating activities to sustain their living standards.
Technical Vocational Educational Centers are set to be opened to equip the resident with knowledge and skills that will empower them economically, socially and politically especially the women who are worst affected by the scenarios.
TVEC will offer courses like tailoring, ICT, chef, engineering, electrical, entrepreneurship among other beneficial disciplines that will add value to their life.
This will help in fostering unity as a community as well as ending conflicts in the near future.