Empowering Communities: Turkana County Launches Public Sensitization Campaign for Cooperative Society Formation

Turkana County’s Department of Trade, Gender, and Youth Affairs has initiated a public awareness campaign with the aim of educating people about the establishment of cooperative societies.

Shemmy Ebulon, the Director for Cooperatives, clarified that this campaign is focused on the general public, with a particular emphasis on women and youth involved in commercial activities.

The primary goal of this endeavor is to provide targeted individuals with information about the advantages of either joining existing cooperatives (saccos) or creating new ones as means of achieving economic empowerment.

During the inaugural sensitization event held at the Lodwar Fresh Produce Market today, Director Ebulon emphasized that cooperatives offer benefits such as facilitating access to substantial capital, eliminating intermediaries, and expanding market opportunities.

She also highlighted that cooperatives promote a culture of savings and provide access to more affordable credit compared to commercial sources, making it crucial for people to embrace them.

Traders at the market expressed interest and established an Interim Committee to help them navigate the process of forming a new cooperative in the near future.

Director Ebulon assured them that the County Government is prepared to support these new entrants in meeting legal requirements and compliance standards.

In attendance at the event were Deputy Director for Trade Wilson Ejiye, as well as Cooperative officers Maiche Naphtali, Erus Macdonald, and Sarah Arukudi.