Project brief
wezesha jamii JIELIMISHE. JIIMARISHE. JIINUe
Promoting livelihoods and Inclusion of vulnerable women domestic workers and women small scale traders
EUROPEAN UNION
1
Cover Photo: Phoebe Auma, a small scale trader at her groceries shop Kibera market Credit Oxfam/ Joyce Kabue Spread Photo: Margaret Mumbua, a domestic worker in Nairobi informal settlements Credit Oxfam/ Benson Guantai
2 Š 2016
enabling communities
Wezesha jamii is a four years EU funded project aimed at promoting livelihoods and the inclusion of vulnerable female domestic workers and female small-scale traders. It aims to enhance the social-economic empowerment of poor women dependent on the informal economy in Nairobi. The project will contribute to elimination of poverty and social exclusion of marginalised women within the informal economy in Nairobi urban informal settlements by investing in raising livelihood opportunities and access to social services of two vulnerable groups: women domestic workers and small traders.
3
the problem Kenya Census 2009 indicates that Nairobi houses
60%
3.1 million
people,
of whom live in the informal settlements.
In Kenya, an estimated
42% 60% 6%
of the 44 million live under the poverty line (on less than 2$ per day).
In Nairobi, an estimated which lie on just about
of the population live in informal poor neighbourhoods (slums)
of the landmass of the city.
The Rockefeller Foundation (http://nextcity.org/informalcity/city/nairobi) estimates
2.2 million
residents of Nairobi work in the informal sector living in
under-served informal settlements. In Nairobi informal settlements, there are huge
disparities
in levels of empowerment of men compared to women; with women facing challenges such as limited access to education, employment and risks of physical and sexual violence.
“
Challenges faced by the targeted women Lack of funds for business expansion, customer shortage, security challenges, bad debts, harassment by authorities, security and water challenges, lack of business training, lack of trading spaces and premises, long working hours and health challenges, occasional disasters such as fires.
4
“
our approach
Wezesha Jamii aims to contribute to achieving secure and productive lives of vulnerable populations dependent on the informal economy in Nairobi Urban through: Increased livelihood opportunities and social support options of women target groups. Organisation and mobilisation of the target groups; coordination of capacity building activities; coordination of vocational training activities; establishment and maintenance of linkages with financial and training institutions in the public, private and CSOs sectors; and setting up of information system. Greater equity and resilience of women target groups. Facilitating linkage of women target groups to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF); research on women’s care work; and advocacy for provision of social services (eg- crèche facilities). Women target groups empowered about their rights and having a collective voice. Sensitisation of the women on their rights; facilitating creation of women trader’s and domestic workers federations and building corporate capacity and networking and linkages. Government and other stakeholders well informed and delivering their responsibilities with increased efficiency. Advocacy and lobbying; capacity building of county government officials and other stakeholders; facilitate dialogues/platforms for service provision; and campaigns on rights of domestic workers and traders and on obligations of the government, private sector and employers of domestic worker.
Tactics Research, skills training, linkages with relevant institutions such as micro finance institutions, influencing policy changes and actions, organisation for strengthened rights
5
PROJECT reach
30,000 women domestic workers and small scale traders 6
Photo: Linet Atieno, small scale trader Kibera, Nairobi Credit Oxfam/ Joyce Kabue
1.38 million people dependent on domestic work and small and micro enterprise
5 Nairobi City informal settlements: Mukuru, Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare, Kawangware 7
case study: Small scale trader
Catherine Wangui , smallscale trader in her grocery shop in Kibera, Nairobi
Catherine Wangui, 28 years, the third born in a family of four children, a wife and mother of a nine year old girl runs a grocery shop in Kibera, Nairobi County. Catherine started the grocery shop ten months ago from her savings and a loan of KES 50,000 from her ‘chama’ (table banking) group. She also sells second hand clothes to suppliment her income from the grocery shop. Through her business she is able to feed her family, pay house rent, pay business levies and fees to the County, rent for her business and pay school fees for her daughter and her sibling. She says that she works hard so that her daughter does not suffer the same fate as herself and would like to educate her up to the University. She likes mentoring other women in her neighbourhood to start small businesses so that they can be self-reliant.
“
Nearly half (48%) of all employed people in Kenya are women but only 18% are paid employees earning a wage or salary in comparison to 39% of men Wiego Statistical Report Brief No.5 8
“
Facts on women small scale traders Socio-economic/demographic status of the target women’s households. Majority of the women traders are aged 20-35 years (59%), have basic literacy levels. Nature and size of the businesses, turnovers, profits and employment levels. The average daily earnings for women small scale traders is Kes 535 ( £5) with businesses ranging from food kiosks, hotel and food vending, salon, barber and cosmetics, tailoring and clothes making and sale of new and second hand clothes. Access to and use of business and vocational skills training Only 23% of women small scale traders have received training on business startup, basic books and records keeping, preparation of business plans, marketing and practical training. Social services (public utility access) providers Majority of the women traders get water, electricity and sanitation facilities from ‘cartels’ who provide basic services at highly inflated costs, (sometimes upto 200%). Most traders dump garbage at dumping sites, walk to their businesses and carry their merchandise home as a security measure. Access to financial services Majority of the women traders access financing from their ‘chamas’ (table banking) at low interests. The women cite key barriers to access credit as lack of knowledge on formal financial services, high interest rates, and difficult application process and stringent requirements. Type and scope of ICT application for business activities 56% of the targeted women use mobile phones to communicate and transact businesses. The women use the phone to save, make orders and even make payments. Level of their awareness of their rights and social services provided by the county government. Only 25% of the respondents are aware of existing laws and regulations that govern their businesses citing licensing, daily fees, public health Act as some of the laws that affect their businesses. Proportion currently registered with NHIF, NSSF and or RBA. Only 32.7% of the women are enrolled in social services like National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), National Social Securty Fund (NSSF) or Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA). Limited participation The women hardly participate in decision making processes. The traders do not belong to associations or organisations that could negotiate with the authorities and face rampant violations of labour and human rights.
9
case study: Domestic care work Margaret is a 38-year-old mother of four girls and a domestic care worker living in Mukuru kwa Reuben, Nairobi. As a domestic care worker in different houses in Nairobi, every day of the week her duties include, doing laundry cleaning dishes and houses. “This job is tiring: we have to carry buckets of wet clothes up, over three flights of stairs, to the hanging lines. It is tiring, but we must do it because we need the money to feed our families,” says Margaret. On average, she earns KES 250 per day (£2.3) and uses this money to buy food for her family. Margaret says the money barely meets the basic needs of her family.
Margaret Mumbua a domestic care worker in Nairobi
“
Domestic workers record extremely low wages, equivalent to only about a third of the average earnings of all informal workers. 10
“
facts on domestic workers Current income levels of domestic workers Women domestic workers in Nairobi urban settlements are financially vulnerable with a mean monthly wage of Kes 4867 ( £44) for 14 hrs per day . The minimum wage for domestic work as set by the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services is Kes 10954 ( £98) for 8 hours per day. Education levels and financial behavior 66% of women domestic workers are primary school leavers lacking any post-formal education training. Most domestic workers are paid in cash with only 25% having active bank accounts reducing their ability to access credit. Awareness of labour and human rights guidelines Only 25% of domestic worker are aware of policies and laws that stipulate their rights to decent work enviroment. Only one in ten domestic worker are aware of domestic workers union that advocate for their rights. Kenya is yet to ratify the ILO C189 convention that sets labour standards for domestic work. Awareness and use of social protection schemes Very few women domestic workers are members of NSSF (5%) and NHIF (14%). Community perceptions towards domestic work Due to stigmatisation and disrespect attached to the job, women domestic workers are embarrassed to disclose the nature of their work to their families or neighbours. Level of participation in community decision-making and control of resources Majority of the women domestic workers have never heard about the Nairobi County planning and budgeting process and do not know the process of participating but they have interest in participating if their participation will help curb the rising cost of living.
“
Gender disparities Division of labour by gender at the household level is unequal with women bearing the heavier burden of reproductive roles such as child care and domestic chores.
“
11
Funded by the European Union
EUROPEAN UNION Project implemented by
For more details on the project contact: hecainfo@oxfam.org.uk +254 020 2820000
12
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Oxfam Kenya and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.