The government has stepped up efforts to keep vulnerable children in school by rolling out monthly cash transfers to over 2,700 orphans and vulnerable children.
State Department for Children Services Principal Secretary (PS) CPA Carren Ongeng’o said through the programme, Sh5 million is paid out monthly to the beneficiaries to cushion them against economic hardship.
The support, she said, will come in handy as schools reopen in January, adding that the government will also release the Presidential Bursaries targeting very needy cases.
Speaking during a dialogue forum with professionals in Kisumu West Sub-county, Ageng’o said the cash transfers were part of a broader social protection framework targeting orphans and vulnerable children.
She urged parents and guardians to apply for the bursaries early to ensure no child drops out of school due to lack of fees.
The PS said the dialogue forum was convened to strengthen collaboration between government and professionals in driving development in Kisumu West, with discussions centred on child welfare, health, youth empowerment and community participation in national projects.
On health, she noted that registration under the Social Health Authority (SHA) in the sub-county had improved significantly from 18 per cent last year to about 48 per cent following sustained community engagement.
She appealed to professionals to help vulnerable groups, including widows, meet SHA registration costs to expand access to healthcare.
Ageng’o said her office had also engaged widows from the area during the festive season, distributing foodstuffs as a gesture of support.
She expressed concern over the high number of widows compared to widowers, describing it as a worrying indicator of male mortality that requires further investigation.
Emerging issues such as mental health challenges among men, she said, would be examined through data and sensitisation efforts, noting that stable families were critical to child protection and development.
The PS said residents were also briefed on ongoing and upcoming government projects, including the establishment of an ICT hub at the HOLO Centre sub-county offices, which is being renovated to support youth innovation and digital skills.
She added that discussions also focused on environmental conservation and income generation through youth-led tree nursery projects as part of efforts to green the sub-county.
Youth employment featured prominently at the forum, with the PS urging professionals to take a leading role in mentoring young people and creating jobs, even as the government implements initiatives such as the NYOTA programme.
She acknowledged low youth turnout at the meeting but said a dedicated youth forum would be organised to sensitise them on available opportunities.
On infrastructure, the PS said the community had expressed readiness to support the Standard Gauge Railway project, with no objections raised over relocation.
He added that professionals would work with government agencies to support affected families and ensure smooth implementation of the project, which she described as a major economic opportunity for Kisumu West.
Speaking during the same occasion, Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Elisha Oraro welcomed the engagement, saying it had united professionals around socio-economic development and youth empowerment.
He urged professionals to encourage young people to register for national identity cards and as voters and pledged cooperation between the county assembly and the national government to pass legislation that supports the well-being of children.
By Chris Mahandara
