Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Hand Over of the Soin Area Program

Governor Wisley Rotich today presided over the hand over of the Soin Area program run in Elgeyo Marakwet by World Vision since 2007.

The program’s components were handed over to the County Government to incorporate them into it’s development programs.

The components included increase access to quality care and education to children below 6 years, improving household access to sustainable drinking water, protecting children under age 5 from diseases and infections.
The program was initiated 15 years ago and implemented to a tune of over 3.5 million USD and targeted Tambach and Emsoo wards in the County.

The Governor said the program was a huge success and pledged that the County Government would ensure continuity of all components.

“Iam also privileged that I was part of the team that was involved in the project design since the program was being initiated in my home in Emsoo. So Iam proud to be here 15 years later to celebrate it’s success,” he said.
World Vision Acting National Director Geoffrey Kativa thanked Elgeyo Marakwet communities for embracing the program and adopting it’s change components.

“You are such wonderful hosts. As much as we are ending this program, we have other programs in this County that will run up to the year 2030 and beyond. So we are still together,” he said.

Kativa emphasized the need to ensure sustainability of the programs initiated by World Vision so that the millions spent initiating them do not go to waste.

“What we have spent in this Soin program is about Ksh 1 billion and this is money given to us by donors. Let us honour their generosity by ensuring sustainability,” he said.

Some of the successes of the program include reversing the consumption and use of untreated water, low education standards, water borne diseases, low toilet coverage, child abuse and gender disparities.

The program also built 22 ECDs, built capacity of teachers, imparted life skills & spiritual nourishment to pupils, construction of water projects, supported health facilities with refrigerators for vaccines and nutrition purposes, scholarships for 42 Pastors to study Diploma in Theology among other achievements.

Beneficiary groups gave testimonials of the successes of the program and appreciated World Vision for the interventions. They asked the County Government to build on the successes of the program.