SW
SWEIP Samburu Women Empowerment
Maralal Town · Samburu County · Est. 1999
Reg. No. BO337 · Certificate No. A4112

Strong women,
empowered communities.

SWEIP is a women-led Community-Based Organization working across Samburu County to advance gender equality, education, health, food security, and protection from violence — through the women themselves leading the change.

Learn Our Story Partnership Opportunities
25+
Years rooted in Samburu communities
1,250+
Orphans & vulnerable children supported
70+
Girls rescued from harmful practices
247
Farmer groups reached (ASDSP)
7
Thematic programme areas
Vision

A gender-sensitive society where women and men have equal rights and opportunities for a just and inclusive community.

Mission

To empower women to realize and exercise their rights, access opportunities, and achieve gender equality.

Who We Are

Born from the lived realities of pastoral women

Samburu Women Empowerment Integrated Programme (SWEIP) is a women-led Community-Based Organization based in Maralal Town, Samburu County. We address the social, economic, political, and governance challenges facing our community through participatory, inclusive engagement.

SWEIP was formed in response to the deepening socio-economic challenges facing pastoral women in Samburu — economic vulnerability, low literacy, harmful cultural practices, and limited access to opportunity. These conditions expose women and girls to gender-based violence, child marriage, and exclusion from decision-making.

We believe sustainable community development is only possible when women are empowered and gender equality is genuinely pursued — not as an add-on, but as the foundation of how a community thrives.

Founded
1999
Registered
1 February 2001
Registering Body
Department of Culture, Gender, Sports & Social Development
Registration No.
BO337
Certificate No.
A4112
Location
Maralal Town, Samburu County
Banking
Equity Bank

Our Vision

A gender-sensitive society where women and men have equal rights and opportunities for a just and inclusive community.

Our Mission

To empower women to realize and exercise their rights, access opportunities, and achieve gender equality.

Core Values
Gender Sensitivity Accountability Professionalism Innovativeness & Creativity Inclusivity Teamwork
Our Work

Seven thematic areas, one purpose

Each programme is designed around the real, layered challenges pastoral women and girls face — and built to be implemented together, not in isolation.

01

Women Empowerment

Enhancing the socio-economic capacity of women and young mothers through livelihood access, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship skills — with deliberate focus on GBV survivors and vulnerable groups.

Expected Outcomes
  • Increased household income among women beneficiaries
  • Improved financial literacy and savings culture
  • Enhanced economic independence for women and girls
02

Education Access, Retention & School-Based Sensitization

Structured school-based sensitization on education, early pregnancy prevention, and child protection — working with schools and communities to identify at-risk learners and support re-enrollment of teenage mothers. SWEIP actively advocates for gender mainstreaming and gender equality in education systems, and champions the right to quality education for all girls and boys in Samburu County.

Expected Outcomes
  • Reduced school dropout rates
  • Increased re-enrollment of teenage mothers
  • Improved student attendance and retention
  • Reliable education data for planning and partnerships
  • Advocating for gender mainstreaming and gender equality in education
  • Improved access to quality education for all learners
03

Male Engagement for Positive Masculinity

Dialogue forums, mentorship sessions, and community outreach that challenge harmful gender norms and encourage shared responsibility — engaging men and boys as partners in gender equality.

Expected Outcomes
  • Increased awareness of positive masculinity
  • Reduction in harmful cultural practices and stereotypes
  • Improved community support for gender equality
04

Food Security & Climate Change

Climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land use, and alternative livelihoods suited to Samburu's arid and semi-arid terrain — training communities to cope with drought and improve nutrition.

Expected Outcomes
  • Improved household food security
  • Increased adoption of climate-resilient practices
  • Strengthened community resilience to climate shocks
05

GBV Prevention & Response

Awareness campaigns, community dialogues, and survivor identification, with referrals to medical, legal, and psychosocial support in collaboration with service providers — focused on women, girls, and young mothers.

Expected Outcomes
  • Increased reporting and referral of GBV cases
  • Improved access to support services for survivors
  • Reduced prevalence of GBV in target communities
06

Peace & Security

Peace dialogues, conflict mediation, and awareness campaigns engaging community leaders, youth, and women — addressing resource-based and cultural conflict to build tolerance and cohesion.

Expected Outcomes
  • Reduced community conflicts
  • Strengthened local peace structures
  • Enhanced collaboration among community groups
07

Disease Prevention through Primary Healthcare

Health education on hygiene, sanitation, and nutrition, in collaboration with health facilities and community health volunteers — promoting early health-seeking behavior and outreach.

Expected Outcomes
  • Increased awareness of disease prevention practices
  • Improved community health and hygiene standards
  • Reduced incidence of preventable diseases
How We're Organized

Governance built for accountability

SWEIP is governed by a Management Board of seven members, with a clear operational structure connecting strategy to community-level delivery.

Board of Directors
Executive Director / Programme Coordinator
Program Officers
MEL Officer
Finance / Admin
Community Volunteers & Focal Persons
Strategic Approach

How we get the work done

＋ Promoting women's participation in economic, social, and political decision-making
＋ Facilitating community dialogues using indigenous governance systems
＋ Supporting women's groups in food security and climate adaptation
＋ Enhancing reproductive health and discouraging harmful cultural practices
＋ Promoting income-generating activities and financial literacy
＋ Conducting health education on hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention
＋ Mainstreaming gender across every intervention
＋ Building partnerships, coalitions, and policy advocacy
Our Track Record

A quarter-century of community impact

From orphan and vulnerable children programmes to agricultural development and girl-child rescue, SWEIP's work spans the breadth of community need in Samburu.

1,250+
OVC supported through NACC & World Vision partnerships
247
Farmer groups engaged through ASDSP initiatives
100
Households reached through food security programmes
70+
Girls rescued from harmful cultural practices
Research & Data Collection

A trusted partner for grassroots data

SWEIP has extensive experience in research and data collection through partnerships with organizations such as Usawa Agenda and ICAN/ICARE. Our community presence and established grassroots networks make us well positioned to support high-quality, reliable, and culturally sensitive data collection across Samburu County.

School-based learning assessments Household surveys Community needs assessments GBV survivor identification & documentation
Operating Context

What we're working against — and what we've built to meet it

Challenges We Face

  • Limited financial resources
  • Patriarchal societal structures
  • Harmful cultural practices
  • Negative perceptions towards women's empowerment
  • Prolonged drought
  • Insecurity
  • Limited access to health information
  • Non-gender-responsive budgeting at county level

Institutional Capacity We've Built

  • Governance: Management Committee for strategic oversight; Programme Coordinator for daily operations
  • Programme delivery: Proven reach in education, gender, health, and livelihoods
  • MEL: Active tracking of school attendance, dropout rates, and GBV cases
  • Finance: Equity Bank account with budgeting, expenditure tracking, and reporting
  • Partnerships: Active collaboration with schools, local leaders, and service providers
Open Partnership

Partner with us on education data collection

SWEIP is seeking to partner with Mizizi Elimu to conduct education data collection across Samburu County. With deep community presence, research experience, and established grassroots networks, we are well-positioned to deliver high-quality, reliable, and culturally sensitive data.

Current Partners
Usawa Agenda
School learning assessments · Active since 2013
Get In Touch