Livelihoods, Economic Empowerment & Food Security
Enabling older persons to build sustainable livelihoods, strengthen economic independence and improve household resilience.
Economic independence remains an important aspect of dignity and wellbeing in later life. For many older persons, limited livelihood opportunities, inadequate income and food insecurity can increase dependence on family members, expose households to economic shocks and constrain access to essential needs.
However, older persons are not merely recipients of economic support. They possess practical skills, knowledge, experience and productive capacities that can contribute to household economies and community development.
At Ethel Foundation for the Aged (EFA), we recognise the importance of creating opportunities for older persons to engage in meaningful economic activities, strengthen their financial capabilities and improve their household food security.
Through our Livelihoods, Economic Empowerment & Food Security Programme, EFA seeks to enable older persons to achieve greater economic independence, food security and resilience through sustainable livelihoods, skills development, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
Our approach to economic empowerment
EFA’s livelihood programming is centred on strengthening the capacities of older persons while creating opportunities for productive participation.
Our interventions focus on practical skills, small-scale enterprise, financial management, livelihood groups and community-based economic activities that are responsive to older persons’ circumstances and capabilities.
The programme encompasses poultry farming, handicrafts, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, Older Persons Associations and community capacity strengthening.
Our key livelihood interventions
1. Sustainable Livelihoods for Older People (SLOP/SLOPAK)
SLOPAK — Sustainable Livelihoods for Older People and Advocacy in Kenya is one of EFA’s community-based livelihood models, implemented particularly in Kisumu and Kisii.
The programme supports older persons to participate in productive activities, strengthen livelihood skills and improve their economic resilience through:
- Poultry farming and husbandry
- Handicrafts and basket weaving
- Financial literacy and entrepreneurship
- Formation and strengthening of Older Persons Associations and livelihood groups
- Community capacity strengthening
- Market-oriented livelihood activities
By organising older persons into groups and supporting their livelihood capacities, SLOPAK promotes collective participation, skills development and opportunities for economic engagement.
The programme also reflects EFA’s wider experience in advocacy and systems strengthening in the communities it serves.
2. Older Persons Poultry Programme
Poultry farming is an important livelihood model within EFA’s economic empowerment programming, particularly in Katolo and related communities in Kisumu County.
The programme supports older persons to establish and strengthen small-scale poultry enterprises that can contribute to household food security and income generation.
Key activities include:
- Provision of starter chickens
- Poultry vaccination
- Feed management
- Poultry husbandry and practical skills development
- Egg production
- Strengthening livelihood groups
Poultry keeping can provide older persons with opportunities to generate income from the sale of eggs and poultry while also improving access to food at household level.
EFA’s experience in Kisumu demonstrates the value of combining starter support with ongoing husbandry knowledge and community-based organisation. The programme also highlights the importance of strengthening poultry management capacities to sustain productive activities.
3. Inua Wazee / Inua Mzee Weaving
Basket weaving and handicrafts provide opportunities for older persons to apply practical skills to productive activities while creating items with economic value.
Through the Inua Wazee / Inua Mzee weaving initiative, EFA supports older persons to develop and strengthen weaving skills, improve financial literacy and engage in entrepreneurship.
The programme focuses on:
- Basket weaving and handicraft skills
- Financial literacy
- Entrepreneurship
- Group organisation
- Income generation
The initiative recognises the value of traditional craftsmanship and the potential of practical skills to support economic participation in later life.
EFA’s weaving work, including the activities of older persons in Kisumu, demonstrates how handicrafts can provide opportunities for older persons to engage in productive group activities and generate income.
4. Financial Literacy & Economic Inclusion
Economic empowerment involves more than access to productive activities. Older persons also need the knowledge and skills to manage resources, make informed financial decisions and strengthen their financial resilience.
EFA integrates financial literacy into its livelihood interventions to strengthen economic participation and responsible financial management.
Key areas include:
- Savings and financial management
- Financial literacy
- Entrepreneurship
- Social protection awareness
- Group savings mechanisms
Through these areas, EFA seeks to strengthen the capacity of older persons to manage available resources, participate in livelihood groups and make informed decisions about their economic activities.
5. Livestock & Small Animal Husbandry
Livestock and small animal husbandry provide additional opportunities for livelihood diversification and household economic resilience.
EFA’s livelihood framework includes poultry, goat rearing and food production activities at Ethel Farm.
These activities provide opportunities to strengthen practical husbandry skills, support household livelihoods and contribute to food production and income generation.
The selection and design of these activities take into consideration the capacities, resources and circumstances of the older persons involved.
Livelihood groups and community capacity strengthening
Community organisation is an important part of EFA’s livelihood approach.
Through Older Persons Associations and livelihood groups, older persons can participate in collective activities, share knowledge, strengthen practical skills and support one another in pursuing productive opportunities.
These groups also provide platforms for financial literacy, entrepreneurship and community capacity strengthening.
EFA recognises that livelihood interventions need to be responsive to older persons’ individual circumstances, including their health, mobility, available resources and preferred forms of economic participation.
Our programme geography
EFA’s livelihood initiatives have been implemented particularly in Kisumu and Kisii, with the poultry programme having a strong presence in Katolo and related communities in Kisumu County.
The Inua Wazee / Inua Mzee weaving initiatives also support older persons to develop practical skills and participate in income-generating activities.
These community-based models offer learning opportunities for strengthening existing interventions and exploring their potential replication in other communities.
Our commitment to economic dignity
At EFA, economic empowerment is closely connected to human dignity, participation and the ability of older persons to exercise agency in their lives.
We recognise that not all older persons have the same economic capacities or livelihood aspirations. Effective programming must therefore respond to their circumstances while creating opportunities for meaningful participation.
Our Livelihoods, Economic Empowerment & Food Security Programme seeks to strengthen the skills, resources, financial knowledge and community structures that enable older persons to pursue productive activities and improve their household resilience.
Guided by our commitment to human dignity, community and the common good, EFA works toward a society in which older persons are recognised as contributors to development and supported to live with greater economic security.
Stronger livelihoods. Greater independence. Food security. Dignity in ageing.
Ethel Foundation for the Aged (EFA)
Transforming social values and systems to better respond to the care and support needs of less privileged older persons in society.
