By Betty Luke
Paramase Lesanagi, 26, a reformed bandit has never set foot in a classroom. Born in a pastoralist community, his childhood was marked with raids, retaliations and harsh living situation in Isiolo’s Oldonyiro ward.
The harsh climatic conditions hardened his survival even as he struggled to balance between moranism and taking care of his mother.
“I was raised as the only child to a single mother. Although our culture dictates that once one becomes a Moran you should keep off your mother’s compound, I occasionally sneaked in to ensure she was doing well,” he told The Press Point.
In his quest to satisfy the Samburu cultural ‘demands’ for a Moran, Mr Lesanagi joined his age mates in the grazing fields to look after his family’s animals as well as protect the community from external raids.
“I was lured into cattle rustling but was always wondered what would happen in event I was killed. I wondered who would take care of my mother. This gave me the desire to quit and engage in a decent livelihood,” he says.
His transformation came in 2018 following the introduction of Rangelands Sacco that sought to promote financial literacy and ensure economic mainstreaming among marginalized communities through the community conservancies.
The Sacco that started in 2016 also sought to support livestock keepers overcome climate shocks by ensuring they adopt sustainable climate mitigation measures.
“I joined the Sacco and started saving Sh100 daily before qualifying for a Sh30, 000 loan that helped me set up a motorbike spare parts shop,”he noted.
He says he’s now happy that he is operating a legally accepted business that enables him to comfortably support his family.
Like Lesanagi, dozens of reformed bandits across over 40 Community Conservancies in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Garissa, Baringo, West Pokot, Laikipia and Tana River counties have embraced decent businesses ranging from transport, livestock trade, retail businesses among others to earn a livelihood.
Lekan Lempaso says he never imagined that someone who had no opportunity to access basic education would start and run a business that earns him a profit of up to Sh15, 000 every month.
“I was part of a group of Morans who used to engage in highway banditry. We fully depended on attacking road users to earn a living,” he said adding that through the Sacco he has managed to indulge into livestock business that he says has offered him so much pride.
Besides loans, Rangelands Sacco offer financial management skills to enable them maximally benefit from the scarce resources available as well as offer sustainable measures to mitigate climate change.
“Through the skills gained, I managed to sell my animals during the last drought and saved the money. When it rained, I withdrew the money and bought a few manageable animals to avert loses,”said Mr Lesanagi.
Ms Nabiki Lesuper, businesswoman based in Samburu’s Archers Post center boasts of owning rental units courtesy of financial literacy skills she gained after joining the Sacco in 2018.
She says although she was still a small scale business person, she had no idea of how she would properly manage her little income to invest in property.
“After joining the Sacco, we were trained on how to save and that has helped me to not only access loans but also cut on spending and explore multiple sources of income for sustainability,” Ms Lesuper who is also a Board member of Kalama Community Conservancy said.
Speaking during this year’s Annual Delegate’s Meeting in Archers Post, the Sacco’s Senior Enterprise Officer Peter Ngunu said the Sacco had uplifted the living standards of its over 6000 members from across the Arid and Semi Arid Lands in Northern and Coastal regions of Kenya by powering them to financial freedom.
He said their members were fully equipped with entrepreneurship and financial management skills that had greatly supported them start and run business in bid to diversify their livelihoods.
“We have over the years endeared to support pastoralists with skills that enable them manouvre through calamities associated with climate change and other challenges associated with livestock keeping,” he told journalists.
Rangelands Sacco whose membership stands at 6300 has so far issued over Sh230 million in loans and accumulated Sh52 million in shares and savings with members calling on other pastoralists to join for financial freedom.
During the meeting, a total of Sh6.8 million dividends were shared, up from last year’s Sh2.6 million.
