Echo Network Africa’s journey in empowering women through aquaculture began in the year 2010 to date. This Focus Area’s Overarching Objective is to:

Enhance meaningful participation of women in the aquaculture and other food security-related value chains for sustainable Socio-Economic Livelihoods.

The project is implemented by Echo Network Africa with support from Open Society Foundation. The project is currently being implemented in Homa Bay County in 4 beaches namely Litare, Wakula, Kaugege and Mrongo targeting 100 women. Prior to the project the women engaged as traders along the aquaculture value chain particularly in processing and marketing which made them vulnerable to exploitation by the fishermen who frequently requested for sexual favors in exchange for fish.

This sex for fish vice commonly known as Jaboya has been rampant leading to a high prevalence of HIV AIDs and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. ENA has trained women on aquaculture Cage farming, Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. This trainings have built their capacity in starting businesses that will generate income for their families. The Initiative also has a gender and rights based approach to address HIV related human rights violations, gender biases, harmful cultural sexual gender based violence among the women. There are 4 gender desks established in each beach to create awareness and education on HIV and sexual reproductive health rights. Each beach has a gender responsive BMU policy and a gender sensitive service charter for the BMU’s to lobby for inclusion of women in the BMU networks both at Sub County and County level.

1. Replication of Aquaculture anchor cluster model.
2. Enhancing Food security mechanisms and systems in counties where ENA has presence.
3. Lobbing & advocating for cleaner & greener environment in areas where ENA has presence (Flora & Fauna).
4. Accelerating growth and expansion for communities’ resilience in Counties where ENA