ABOUT SHITUNGU
Welcome to Shitungu Village!
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Shitungu Village is located in Murumba, Butsotso of Kakamega County, Kenya. It is about 240 miles from the capital city of Nairobi. The entire village is home to 480 people from around 60 different households. The majority of people belong to the Butsotso sub-tribe of the Luhyia. The language spoken is Luhya. Currently, the Kenya Village Empowerment Organization (KVEO) focuses its efforts on supporting around 20 families, approximately 115 people, who form a tightly knit community.
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Shitungu, like much of Kenya, has a youthful population, with nearly half being school-aged children. Access to education remains a significant challenge for all, because Kenya does not provide free public education. Families must bear the costs of tuition, uniforms, and books. Meeting the costs of education is a huge financial burden. The high cost of education deprives many from attending school and subsequently limits any possibility of qualifying for a well-paying job. KVEO is committed to assisting residents meet tuition costs and ending the cycle of poverty.
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Livelihoods and Economic Activities
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The villagers practice small-scale farming, growing vegetables in their gardens. However, most food and supplies must be purchased in Kakamega, the closest town (approximately 3 miles away). Proximity to the urban center of Kakamega with its population of nearly 110,000 provides access to shops, businesses, higher education, medical services, and one library. No public transportation is directly available to and from Shitungu, so residents must rely on local tuktuks (small three-wheeled vehicles, similar to taxis), bicycles, or walking.
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Many adults rely on casual day jobs for income. A number of the village men work in the nearby quarry, breaking up stones to sell for making cement needed by the construction industry. The strenuous effort required to produce the stones leaves unorganized laborers hugely disadvantaged and severely underpaid.
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To improve economic opportunities, KVEO sponsors a modest soap production project. This effort has had to overcome and outlast supply channels that were disrupted by political unrest and destructive flooding. Additional training and improved production values have resulted in promising sales of soap leading to a source of sustainable revenue. Several additional sustainable projects are being explored.​
Environment and Climate Challenges
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Shitungu and the area of Kakamega normally receive a high amount of annual rainfall due to the existing remnant of a rainforest expanding west to Uganda. This and other weather-related characteristics are being magnified by global warming. In the last year, Shitungu residents have been impacted by flooding and drought. These extreme weather conditions have resulted in the destruction of roads, damage to crops, temporary closing of schools, and suspended employment. An inevitable outcome of these hardships is inflation, increasing the costs of food and basic supplies. Shitungu residents have been planting trees to combat ozone depletion, and are exploring ECO-GREEN gardening activities. Another climate-related aspiration is to replace wood-burning fires with solar cookers.
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Community with Vision
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Shitungu residents strive for a better future by advocating for medical facilities closer to the village. Having a nearby facility will be life changing, particularly in emergency situations such as accidents and urgent maternal health needs. The members of this tight community are dedicated to improving their lives by establishing community goals: expanded education for youth, adult training, and developing food and economic sustainability. Community meetings are held regularly — every last Friday of the month, to assure that everyone is heard. The inclusive decision-making process reflects the needs of the community and results in individual gains.
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KVEO is committed to working with and for the Shitungu community’s members.
