On Monday, 19th January 2026, Baridi Kwa Baridi Women CBO participated in their first public baraza of the year at Bukayo West ward, Matayos sub county, Busia County. As a grassroots organization, our work is deeply rooted in community engagement and this baraza provided a critical platform to formally reintroduce our activities, meet our beneficiaries and strengthen accountability and transparency with community members and local leadership.
This activity was made possible through the Not Invisible Anymore project, funded by Freedom Fund, which supports our work in ending the exploitation of child domestic workers (CDWs) in Busia County.
During the baraza, we emphasized our commitment to serving the community by ensuring that our interventions remain relevant and responsive to the real needs on the ground. The baraza also offered an opportunity to share updates on our ongoing interventions and community support programs including:
- Women and girls empowerment
- Prevention and response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
- Ending the exploitation of child domestic workers
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education
- Economic empowerment through alternative livelihoods
- Provision of psychosocial support to vulnerable women and children
We also had the opportunity to listen to feedback from community members, address concerns and reaffirm our commitment to working collaboratively with local leadership and stakeholders.
Key Highlights from the Baraza
- Community feedback and child protection concerns:
Several child protection issues were raised, confirming the need for continued support and intervention at the community level. - Frustration and lack of child-centered practices:
We observed that many community members are frustrated and do not consistently apply the Best Interest of the Child principle in decision-making. This underscores the need for increased sensitization and awareness creation on child rights and protection. - Sensitization on the Best Interest of the Child:
Baridi Kwa Baridi Women CBO used the platform to sensitize community members on the importance of prioritizing the Best Interest of the Child in all actions affecting children. We emphasized that every decision affecting a child should consider their safety, wellbeing, protection and long-term development. - Recruitment of children at risk of child domestic work:
We invited children who are at risk of becoming child domestic workers to enroll in training programs that include:- Tailoring
- Salon skills
- Carpentry
- Counselling and psychosocial support
- Community support:
As a gesture of appreciation and care, each community member present received a bottle of water. - Strengthening collaboration with local administration:
The area Chief encouraged Baridi Kwa Baridi Women CBO to attend public barazas every Monday to provide support in handling child protection cases. This will include advising, counselling, escalation and referral to relevant authorities and service providers. This collaboration is aimed at strengthening early identification, response and coordinated referral mechanisms for child protection cases at the community level.
We appreciate the leadership of the local administration and the active participation of community members. As we begin the year 2026, we remain committed to inclusive community participation, accountability and impact-driven programming that responds to the real needs of the community.
We also strive to work in synergy to ensure that children are safeguarded and their rights upheld
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