The three strategic pillars that First Lady Rachel Ruto plans to employ as the Office of the First Lady transforms the country has been alluded to.
Mama Rachel said in a speech at the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD27th )'s Ordinary General Assembly on Sunday that she will be working to transform the country under her stewardship by empowering women economically, battling climate change, and engaging in faith diplomacy.
She added that she would work to support Kenyan women in establishing their lives and companies and becoming a part of the country's economic development through the first of her three pillars, which is women's economic empowerment.
She said that her flagship program, Joyful Women Organization, which provides table banking for women all around the country, will make this a reality. The organization currently has 150,000 members and makes Ksh—2.5 billion ($20 million) in monthly revenue.
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"The first pillar is the economic empowerment of women, and we have included that in our definition of financial inclusion and financial health. Our goal is to make women more powerful and ensure their financial inclusion "She spoke.
She said, "We've got the chance to work with women in our country to ensure their financial inclusion. Additionally, it covered commerce, market access, capacity building and MSMEs, and loans."
"Members save and borrow directly for their savings for short- and long-term loans under the women's empowerment through table banking program."
The First Lady continued by saying that her second pillar, environment and climate action, would work to solve issues with the green and blue economies and community health and wellness.
Mama Rachel blamed the country's ongoing drought on it and promised to fight the problem by having 500 million trees planted by women by 2032.
According to her, President William Ruto's proposal to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 is in line with what she said.
"The drought in Africa is the worst it has been in forty years, and it has impacted productivity, leading to food insecurity. Up to 75% of the agricultural workforce comprises women, who represent over 80% of the industry.
The first lady's office has planned to plant 500 million trees by 2032, and our main effort is to take part in the national tree-growing campaign to plant and cultivate 15 billion trees by that time. Along with women, we are to raise native and fruit plants.
The first lady claimed that her third pillar, or "faith diplomacy," aims to address family and national values in local communities around the country.
She hinted that she would collaborate with faith-based organizations to restructure family and community beliefs that hurt children around the country.
"Children and women suffer the most from war and unstable environments. Families that are unstable often suffer from GBV and other social hills. Several children in urban settlements do not attend school despite the government's free education program because of family obligations "She said.
Using faith as a vehicle to promote cohesion, peace, and development, we are collaborating with faith-based organizations to combine family value-based teachings and keep kids in school through the Mama feeding program (Mama Doing Good), which feeds kids in informal settlements.
Earlier, on her social media channels, First Lady Rachel Ruto underlined the value of involving clergy and elders in having a beneficial impact on communities through faith diplomacy.
