Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (K-MET) in partnership with Corner Worldwide has rolled out a programme known as community conversation (CC) in Kisumu County.
The programme is funded by the European Union to the tune of 50,000 Euro targeting Migori, Kisumu and Marsabit Counties for the next three years.
Speaking to Journalists on Tuesday at a Kisumu hotel during sensitising programme for the media, Concern Worldwide Programme officer Rosemary Atieno said that public participation will be enhanced through community conversation platform.
“This is one of the best platforms for citizen participation. The constitution says in everything that is done, we need to have citizens participating,” said Atieno.
She said community conversations is not a new thing in the society, but they want to do it in a structured and professional manner.
“It is a platform in which people can engage in conversation about their common concerns and come up with their solutions,” said Officer Atieno.
The Concern World Programme Officer said that CC is a wholesome approach which started in 2011 at K-MET with 15 community groups.
“With the communities we have worked with, we have not only looked at any qualification as security, but our CC groups have inclusion for everyone to talk. We begin to train them on attitude change which takes six to 12 weeks,” said Atieno.
Atieno added that Kisumu has picked up in terms of development with the 38 community group members under K-MET.
K-MET Program Coordinator Debora Otambo said the CC currently targets Kisumu Central and Kisumu East sub-counties.