Sh173 million fund launched to boost indigenous women-led groups

Indigenous Women Council board launches NAAPU fund to empower women from marginalised and indigenous communities across Kenya in Nanyuki on February 18, 2026

Samburu Women Trust on Wednesday launched and disbursed Sh173 million (£988,000) as the first round of grants under the NAAPU Indigenous Women Fund in Nanyuki, Laikipia county.

The event, attended by representatives of various Indigenous communities, marked the rollout of a new financing initiative targeting Indigenous women-led grassroots groups.

It also marked the start of grant-making under a fund designed to channel resources directly to Indigenous women and informal community collectives operating in remote areas.

The NAAPU Indigenous Women Fund seeks to address long-standing barriers that have limited Indigenous women’s access to financial support. NAAPU, a Samburu word meaning “to rise” or “to uplift,” is described as a feminist, Indigenous women-driven, trust-based grant-making facility.

The fund targets small and emerging Indigenous women-led organisations, young women-led groups, women with disabilities-led initiatives, and informal grassroots collectives in pastoralist, hunter-gatherer, and fisherfolk communities.

“Indigenous women-led organisations are at the forefront of advancing gender justice, community resilience, and sustainable development but remain chronically underfunded,” the organisers said.

SWT executive director Jane Meriwas said the fund seeks to unlock challenges posed by many conventional funding models.

Meriwas noted that traditional systems often prioritise formally registered and well-established organisations, locking out informal groups that lack the administrative structures required to meet complex compliance and reporting standards.

Women's groups will not be required to have websites, bank accounts, or social media presence.

Meriwas said the initiative is anchored on community trust and self-determination as accountability tools.

“The women will sit down, discuss what project they want to undertake, and agree on the amount and the person or the manner to receive the cash,” she said.

“Take for instance a water project. They will check on the cost of the tank and the pipes and agree on how and when to receive the cash and utilise it customised to the local needs. The women in the groups will be accountable to each other.”

She added that although funds have often been available, bureaucratic processes have limited their impact on Indigenous communities.

Organisers cited geographic isolation, limited digital connectivity, and weak access to information as key challenges that restrict Indigenous women’s ability to access grants and partnerships. They said NAAPU was co-created through consultations with Indigenous women, who identified unequal access to funding as a primary obstacle to sustaining and expanding their work.

NAAPU chairperson Cindy Kobei said the fund will also work with individuals and is not limited to organised groups. She said funding decisions will be based on community needs and will include a capacity-building component.

“The plan is to grow with these groups. We are also working with youths, people living with disabilities, and ‘hard to reach’ persons. We are as inclusive as we can,” Kobei said.

The fund aims to place resources directly in the hands of Indigenous women and recognises them as “leaders, strategists, and solution-builders.” It is grounded in principles that emphasise power-sharing, inclusion, and collective responsibility.

NAAPU prioritises marginalised voices, including Indigenous women, adolescent girls, young women, survivors of violence, women with disabilities, and informal community groups. The funding model is described as flexible and trust-based, with simplified application processes that allow grantees to respond to evolving community needs.

In addition to financial support, the fund will provide capacity strengthening in organisational development, leadership support, and peer learning.

Organisers said NAAPU has open decision-making procedures and a fund-making committee with expertise in basic rights and fundamental freedoms. Funding decisions are informed by community realities and guided by Indigenous women’s leadership.

The Indigenous Women Council, a network dedicated to economic empowerment, said the launch represents a shift towards community-centred funding that invests in Indigenous women’s lived experience and cultural knowledge. It described the fund as an effort to redistribute power to grassroots leaders and recognise informal groups as legitimate actors in advancing gender, social and climate justice.

Gitahi Githuku,  American Jewish World Service programme officer, said Indigenous women have experienced historical injustices and limited representation.

“The journey of coming together to find solutions to these challenges has birthed a significant achievement of them taking ownership and leadership of their own issues. This will go far, and other funders should pay attention,” Gitahi said.

The fund leadership expressed confidence that the fund will strengthen indigenous women’s leadership and expand access to resources for underserved communities.