improved their daily earnings and enhanced their livelihoods. Photo|Jamine Atieno
By Ruth Keah |rkeahkadide@gmail.com
In the coastal village of Kipini in Tana River County, Joyce Mramba, 55, has become a household name among the fishing community. Her mission is clear: to empower women and raise awareness to ensure they benefit from the blue economy and transform the lives of many in the predominantly Muslim community.
Joyce, the coordinator of Kipini Tuna Women in Fisheries, said it was taboo for women to engage in fishing activities along the Indian Ocean. In a community where poverty is rampant, many women resorted to fish value addition, often leading to a perilous trade of exchanging sex for fish with the local fishermen.
“If you didn’t have a man, it was a big challenge. Women had to engage in sex for fish. That’s what I saw and decided to start empowering women,” she said.
However, she said changing the narrative wasn’t easy. Joyce embarked on a journey of creating awareness by organizing community gatherings and engaging with members. She emphasized the importance of including women in fishing activities and highlighted the health risks associated with the practice of exchanging sex for fish.
“I am happy to say that the mentality of sex for fish is not there anymore. Now we can fish, come back with our catch, and engage in value addition, despite the challenge of not having enough fishing gear. This has not only improved our daily earnings but has also enhanced our livelihoods,” she said proudly.
Since she began her campaign in 2012, the Kipini Tuna Women in Fisheries group has grown from five to 35 members. Most women are actively participating in prawn fishing earning up to KSh 5,000 per day.
From 2012 until now, women have emerged as vibrant contributors to ocean activities, a transformation attested to by Habiba Dida, the Secretary of the Kipini Tuna Women in Fisheries. She engages in both fish value addition and direct fishing activities.
Habiba recounts her decision to engage in fishing, a choice driven by the challenges she faced in obtaining fish from men at the ocean.
“I used to buy fish, fry them, and sell them. However, boat owners weren’t providing us with fish unless certain favors were extended. That’s when we made the decision to take matters into our own hands and venture into the ocean for fishing,” she explained.
This shift she said has proven immensely beneficial for her.
“Engaging in ocean activities has significantly increased my daily earnings. I’ve been able to provide education for my two girls, and through diligent savings, I’ve acquired around 15 pieces of wood. My plan is to construct my own boat, which I’ll use for fishing in the ocean. Whatever I harvest will come directly to me,” she said.
Somo Mohammed, the Chairman of the Indian Ocean Water Body Network, oversees 99 Beach Management Units along the coastal region and drives a transformative agenda for gender inclusivity in the blue economy space. Under his leadership, he said the implementation of the gender rule aims to ensure full representation of women, marking a significant stride towards equality and empowerment.
“We have fully engaged women, and now we see them as boat owners. Boats proudly bear female names, indicating ownership by women. This is a remarkable achievement that was absent before,” he emphasizes.
to engage in fish trade. Photo|CANCO
He said the expanded role of women in the blue economy is evident as they actively participate in prawn and octopus fishing, as well as engage in octopus fishery closures to optimize yields.
Octopus fishery closures prohibit fishing activities in a designated area for a specific period, providing protection and conservation measures for marine life and habitats leading to increased yields and more catch for fishers.
Mohammed highlighted that this initiative has empowered women to actively contribute to their families, relieving men from the sole burden of providing for the household.
Hadley Becha, the chairman of Tuna Fisheries Alliance of Kenya (TuFAK) a network of Civil Society Organizations, fisher associations, NGOs, the private sector fishery industry, said despite many post fishing activities being done by women, their voices and contributions in the sector have not been heard or seen. He was Speaking at a workshop on broadening stakeholder engagement for effective advocacy towards promoting sustainable blue economy and fisheries development in coastal kenya, which brought together stakeholders from the county and national government, NGOs, fish trader associations, beach management units and academia,
Becha stressed the importance of reevaluating or eliminating outdated cultural values that may hinder women’s participation in various activities, including fishing. This shift is essential to enable them to actively contribute to providing for their families and enhance their overall livelihoods, working hand in hand with men.
“Unlike research conducted in Lake Victoria, there hasn’t been a comprehensive study to determine the prevalence of sex-for-fish practices here on the coast. It’s possible that such activities are happening discreetly,” he explained.
John Kareko, a marine expert, acknowledged that there has been a noticeable change in the industry, with women now actively included and a growing inclusivity even in fishing leadership roles.
“If we include everyone, it will also help us speak in one voice. When we advocate for environmental conservation alongside fishing activities, women, youth, and men will all comprehend the importance. However, if our focus is solely on men, women and youth might feel excluded, making it challenging to establish effective breeding grounds for fish,” he added.
He highlighted the positive trend within women groups like Kipini Tuna Women in Fisheries and Bamburi Beach Management Units where women are actively participating, even in leadership roles. According to him, this indicates a shift in perception, demonstrating that people are increasingly recognizing and believing in the capability of women to lead in fishing groups.
“We have also witnessed NGOs empowering women on how to actively engage in the blue economy sector. The tangible results are apparent, as many women have demonstrated their capability to excel in their roles,” he concluded.
