NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28- British American Tobacco Kenya (BAT) has launched a Sh10 million Rural Women’s Development Programme (RuWDeP) in Western region to empower women’s right and welfare.
RuWDep which was launched during this year’s International Women’s Day, aims to empower more than 1,600 women from the Oyani and Malakisi tobacco leaf growing communities in Migori and Bungoma counties respectively.
The women are either women farmers contracted by BAT Kenya or spouses of contracted farmers.
“Women play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of our communities. As part of our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) platform Ustawi, BAT Kenya is committed to delivering a positive impact by working with various stakeholders to empower Kenyans in its value chain,” said Mimi Mavuti, Head of Corporate Affairs for BAT Kenya & East African Markets.
“We believe that this Rural Women’s Development Programme is an ideal vehicle to not only transform the lives of our farmers but also support them to build sustainable livelihoods.”
The RuWDeP will be rolled out in three phases, with the first phase kicking off with 285 women, and extending to 1,387 women in subsequent phases.
BAT Kenya generates direct and indirect employment opportunities for more than 80,000 Kenyans through tobacco farming, tobacco processing, cigarette manufacturing, tobacco product distribution, urban and rural retailing, wholesale trade, transport, logistics and domestic procurement.
The Company’s tobacco growing operations partner with approximately 1,700 contracted farmers in the counties of Bungoma, Busia, Migori and Homa Bay.
