Chamas for Change Gender and COVID-19 Matrix
The ‘Chamas for Change: A gender-responsive and microfinance-based approach to empowering women’ is an intervention and applied research project based in Trans Nzoia County in Kenya. It is part of a community-based programme in Western Kenya that was established in 2012 to support rurally residing pregnant women, adolescent girls, and mothers during the first 1000 days of their child’s life. To strengthen maternal and child health while supporting economic empowerment, the programme, led by community-health promoters, creates opportunities for group-based health education, peer support, and microfinance. Project evaluation indicates that participation in Chamas contributes to positive health outcomes associated with increased antenatal care visits, delivery by trained healthcare workers, exclusive breastfeeding, family planning uptake and infant and child immunization. Chama women also have more peer support including through relational accountability and agency in problem solving amongst themselves and the community at large. Chama women have reported feeling more empowered to care for themselves and their families. There are currently 659 Chama groups with 7,274 women participating across Western Kenya and over 17,000 members who have graduated from the programme since its inception.
*Chama is Swahili for ‘group’. Gaining momentum from the 1980s through the philosophy of harambee (community self-help), Chamas are self-organizing micro-saving groups that continue to be popular across Kenya particularly among women
- COVID-19 Illness
- COVID-19 Risk
- COVID-19 Health Impacts
- COVID-19 Social Impacts
- COVID-19 Economic Impacts
- COVID-19 Security Impacts
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How did access to resources shape the experience of COVID-19 illness and treatment?
Those with limited resources including women and others without paid income did not seek treatment or quarantine in health facilities
Negative impacts / outcomes
Individuals perceived as most affected by COVID-19 illness and death included older people, those with chronic health conditions or comorbidities, people living with disability, and pregnancy women
Limited access to assets and income among women and rural residents contributed to them not seeking COVID-19 treatment in health facilities: some quarantined in overcrowded homes and used home remedies and traditional healers
People dependent on daily wages for sustenance were unable to follow quarantine measures even when they had COVID-like symptoms
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How did gendered labor and roles shape the experience of COVID-19 illness and treatment?
Gendered roles of women as caregivers placed them at the center of COVID-19 treatment for others at home and in community, placing their own health at risk
Negative impacts / outcomes
Women were more likely to discharge themselves from quarantine centers in health facilities to attend to care responsibilities at home
Positive impacts / outcomes
Despite fear of COVID-19 infection, community health promoters (who are mostly women) played a central role to connecting people in isolated settings to COVID-19 testing and treatment
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How did norms and beliefs shape the experience of COVID-19 illness and treatment?
While stigma associated with COVID-19 infection contributed to negative health-seeking behaviour, women were more likely to seek COVID-19 information, referral and treatment in health facilities
Negative impacts / outcomes
Stigma associated with COVID-19 infection and fear of death upon hospitalization deterred people from testing, sharing test results for contact tracing, and seeking treatment in health care facilities
Mirroring pre-COVID health-seeking behaviour, many only sought treatment in health facilities when their health condition became critical
Gendered health-seeking behaviour contributed to women being more likely to seek COVID-19 information, referrals from community health promoters and treatment when ill
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape the experience of COVID-19 illness and treatment?
Gendered access to resources contributed to men having greater decision-making power on COVID-19 treatment at the household level
Negative impacts / outcomes
Within households, men were more likely to make decisions on where to seek COVID-19 treatment if there were financial implications
Police enforcement of public health measures restricted COVID-19 response by community health promoters
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How did government institutions and law shape the experience of COVID-19 illness and treatment?
Limited resources designated for health emegencies, lack of a pandemic response plan, government bureaucratic processes, and resource mismanagement contributed to delayed and ineffective COVID-19 quarantine and treatment, especially during the first waves of infection. Resource re-allocation and coordination at government- and community-levels improved access to COVID-19 treatment
Negative impacts / outcomes
At the start of the pandemic, Trans Nzoia County had limited capacity to respond to COVID-19 infections: there was no pandemic respose plan, no emergency fund; only one COVID treatment facility; limited testing capacity with samples transported to neighbouring counties; limited intensive care units, oxygen cylinders, and ambulances
Government bureaucracy, length approval processes for resource reallocation, limited collaboration between government and private healthcare facilities, and mismanagement of COVID-19 resources delayed pandemic response and undermined efficiency of response efforts
Quarantine centers were poorly resourced contributing to unsanitary conditions and inadequate food for COVID-19 patients; some people discharged themselves because of discomfort and hunger: The government increasingly encouraged people to quarantine in their homes due to resource constraints
Positive impacts / outcomes
Balanced gender representation was noted in COVID-19 decision-making bodies in Trans Nzoia; this included the emergency committees and technical working groups who provided a roadmap on COVID-19 response and coordinated with the National Pandemic Response Committee
Reprioritization of county resources and decentralization of COVID-19 services increased capacity for testing, quarantine, and treatment and improved access to services in Trans Nzoia county reducing delays in referrals
To increase access to COVID-19 services, random testing campaigns were undertaken closer to communities and a 24-hour crisis line for COVID-19 reporting was established to support contact tracing
Following mandate for each county to establish at least 300 beds for COVID-19 isolation and treatment, Trans Nzoia county drew from lessons learnt in responding to the Ebola epidemic when setting up isolation centers: However, there was still a lack of clarity on how to operate such centers
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How did access to resources shape the distribution of risk of COVID-19 infection?
Access to income, assets, and information shaped COVID-19 infection risk, with women and rural residents disprortionately affected. Educational campaigns and donations partially mitigated risk.
Negative impacts / outcomes
Limited access to assets and income among women and rural residents contributed to their greater risk of infection: COVID-19 prevention supplies such as masks, soap and hand sanitizers were unaffordable; overcrowded housing made quarantine at home inefficient
Influx of people from urban areas and cities due to economic hardship increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 in rural communities
Limited knowledge on the COVID-19 virus, how it spreads, and how to reduce risk resulted in high risk of COVID-19 infection during the first wave of the pandemic
Positive impacts / outcomes
Increased COVID-19 awareness through educational campaigns by community health promoters (CHPs) and Chamas (self-empowerment groups) reduced risk of COVID-19 spread in communities
Provision of PPE supplies and washing stations by NGOs, businesses, and churches helped reduce risk of COVID-19 spread
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How did gendered labor and roles shape the distribution of risk of COVID-19 infection?
Gendered division of labour contributed to nuanced risk of COVID-19 infection impacting both women and men
Negative impacts / outcomes
Women’s role as carers in the health care system and within communities and homes contributed to their greater risk of COVID-19 infection. For instance, Community health promoters (CHPs) were mandated to conduct contact tracing and facilitate quarantine in community
Men’s role as breadwinners seeking an income outside the home placed them at higher risk of COVID-19 infection
Gendered roles in paid economy contributed to a nuanced distribution of COVID-19 risk e.g., women working in markets and men in motor cycle transportation experienced similar risk factors
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How did norms and beliefs shape the distribution of risk of COVID-19 infection?
Societal norms and beliefs which shape gendered expectations on appropriate behaviour and attitudes contributed to men and boys being at greater risk of COVID-19 infection
Negative impacts / outcomes
Women are expected and/or perceived to be more cautious and have better personal hygiene than men. Similarly, girls are expected to follow parental guidance and perceived as “easier to control” than boys. This contributed to women and girls being more likely to follow public health directives than men and boys
Men and boys are expected to socialized with friends and acquittances outside the home, while women and girls are expected to be more housebound doing carework. This contributed to greater risk of infection among men and boys. Men socialized in drinking dens (pubs) where public health measures were not enforced
Mistrust towards the government, stigma associated with COVID-19, and COVID-related social and economic disruption resulted in some people ignoring public health measures
Positive impacts / outcomes
Improved hygiene among men during the pandemic (i.e., washing hands more frequently) partly mitigated their risk of COVID-19 infection
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape the distribution of risk of COVID-19 infection?
Gendered designation of decision-making powers resulted in nuanced spheres of authority where both men and women asserted measures taken to prevent the risk of COVID-19 at household level
Positive impacts / outcomes
At household level, fathers were more involved in decisions regarding movements outside the home, while mothers ensured improved hygiene measures were followed
At community level, Nyumba Kumi (community policing groups) provided contextualized guidance on how to reduce risk of COVID-19 spread
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape the distribution of risk of COVID-19 infection?
National and county governments initiated public health measures to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection and spread. However, limited resources and police enforcement limited the efficacy of these measures
Negative impacts / outcomes
Police enforcement of COVID-19 public health measures in the first waves of the pandemic increased risk of COVID-19 spread i.e., holding in close proximity people found not adhering to curfew or mandate to wear masks.
Lack of proper infrastructure increased risk of COVID-19 infection and spread i.e., overcrowded quarantine centers and limited COVID-19 testing capacity
Lack of an emergency fund and a pandemic preparedness plan delayed COVID-19 response coordination and distribution of adequate PPE
Positive impacts / outcomes
To reduce risk of COVID-19 infection, the national and county governments implemented public health measures including use of masks, curfew, random testing in communities, contact tracing, quarantine requirements, restrictions of movements across counties, closure of markets, disinfecting public places, restrictions on social gatherings such as funerals and church service, among others. Following mandate by the national government, the county government created quarantine centers to facilitate monitored isolation of those infected by COVID-19
A COVID-19 response committee including actors from various county departments and offices was formed to make decisions and coordinate efforts to reduce risk of, and treat, COVID-19: The committee was only disbanded when COVID was contained within international standards.
National and county governments initiated educational campaigns on public health measures to reduce risk of infection. This included training of health care workers and community health promoters to facilitate public education using both information from national government and the World Health Organization
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How did access to resources shape experience with non-COVID healthcare?
Access to reproductive healthcare among women and girls declined during the pandemic due to disruption of services and COVID-related public health measures
Negative impacts / outcomes
Reprioritization of health resources for COVID response and disruption of services in government and community health facilities limited services for pregnant women and people with chronic conditions and comorbidities: Those with limited resources could not access care in private facilities
Curfew measures restricted movement and transportation options limiting access to antenatal and postpartum care for women and girls; decline in immunication was noted at the height of the pandemic
Closure of youth friendly health facilities and centers limited access to reproductive and contraceptive services for adolescents; increase in teenage pregnancies was partly attributed to this gap
Mental health and wellness declined during the pandemic. Research participants highlighted depression, stress, emotional destabilization, suicidal ideation, suicide, and trauma attributed to isolation, financial impacts, fear and confusion regarding the pandemic, disruption of school and teenage pregnancy
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How did gendered labor and roles shape experience with non-COVID healthcare?
Burden placed on the healthcare workforce, including community health promoters, disproportionately impacted women who take on these direct care roles in the labour market
Negative impacts / outcomes
Health care workers, most of who are women, were overwhelmed due to fear of contracting COVID at work, and increased workload and work hours without incentives: HCW went to strike during the pandemic limiting access to healthcare in the county
Positive impacts / outcomes
Health care workers in community, including retired workers, became the first line for care for some due to limited services in facilities, fear of COVID-19 transmission in facilities, and cost implication of healthcare seeking
Community health promoters provided care and referral services in communities through home visits; however, their reach was limited due to restrictions on movement and fear of COVID-19
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How did norms and beliefs shape shape experience with non-COVID healthcare?
Fear of COVID-19 infection and strained relations with community health promoters negatively affected community health-care seeking. However, reprioritization of health and improved hygiene was noted among men.
Negative impacts / outcomes
Fear of COVID-19 infection detered women and adolescent girls from seeking reproductive and perinatal care in health facilities. While some visited facilities early in the morning to avoid crowds, others opted for traditional birth attendants and home deliveries
The perception of community health promoters (CHP) as agents of the government in COVID-19 quarantine and contact tracing enforcement strained the relationship between CHPs and community members. This negatively affected their community health work which is founded on trust and good relations
Positive impacts / outcomes
Men are perceived as less likely than women to seek health care when feeling unwell; this can be attributed to a belief associating men with bravery and hence seeking help as weakness. However, the pandemic created an environment where all people reprioritized their health
Normalization of hygiene routine such as regular hand washing, including among men, was noted to have reduced incidents of contagious infections and illnesses
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape experience with non-COVID healthcare?
Healthcare restrictions reduced agency of adolescent mothers to avoid social stigma, affecting access to maternal health. To mitigate this, CSOs advocated for reprioritization of adolescent and women health
Negative impacts / outcomes
Reduced health clinic hours limited choice of adolescent mothers on when they sought health care in efforts to shield themself from social stigma
Positive impacts / outcomes
Civil society organizations were at the forefront of advocating for prioritization of adolescent health during the pandemic and running health programs for women and girls; CSO also acknowledged challenges faced by adolescent boys such as isolation
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How did government institutions and law shape experience with non-COVID healthcare?
Reprioritization of health care resources, including funding, infrastructure and health workers, limited provision and access to non-COVID health care, particularly affecting access to adolescent reproductive health care. Limited gender representation in health-related county working group was noted to have improved over the course of the pandemic
Negative impacts / outcomes
Youth-friendly health centers which were opened before the pandemic were closed or turned to COVID-19 wards or isolation centers during the pandemic; adolescent reproductive health clinics, family planning services, HIV clinics and anti-natal care became limited. Lack of policies, structures and budget aimed at addressing adolescent health left little room for mitigating this.
Public health measures in hospital settings such as required testing and vaccination made health care inaccessible to those who were hesitant to such measures
Pre-established technical working group structures weakened during the pandemic due to budgetary constraints resulting from reallocation of resources to COVID-19 response; the number of working group members reduced from about 40 members to as low as 10 members weakening inclusion and broader engagement
Donor funding for health care and medication (e.g., from USAID) was noted to have reduced highlighting a need for the county government to increasingly be self-reliant to reduce gaps in health care provision
Positive impacts / outcomes
Limited women representation in the Trans Nzoia County RMNCAH (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Children and Adolescent Health) technical working group improved over the course of the pandemic following gender training; the youth, people living disabilities, and civil society organizations were also included
At the national level, the Menstrual Hygiene Management Act and the National Reproductive Health Policy were adopted in 2020 and 2022, respectively; these policies have become platforms for officials and civil society organizations to push for adolescent health initiatives in Trans Nzoia County
Some facilities mitigated challenges of medication access (due to reduced patient visits and supply chain disruptions) by providing medication for longer periods and accommodating alternative arrangement for refills for those with chronic conditions (i.e., scheduled and/or designated pick-up)
Over the course of the pandemic, the county’s health department enhanced their capacity for emergency preparedness with enhanced health care infrastructure (e.g., ICU facilities) likely to have longer-term effects
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How did access to resources shape the distribution of COVID-19 social impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
COVID-19 public health measures limited access to social infrastructure that could have mitigated some impacts of the pandemic and contributed to resilience for individuals and communities. The mental and reproductive health of adolescent girls was particularly affected by school closures contributing to drop-out and reduced focus on education
Negative impacts / outcomes
Restriction on social gatherings and closure of spaces for social connection and interactions such as churches, schools, sports, youth-friendly health facilities contributed to isolation with negatives effects on people’s wellness; such spaces and connections were noted to be crucial for mental wellness in Trans Nzoia County
Friendships, parental relationships, and marriages became strained during the pandemic due to changes in social interaction among other challenges. Those with limited resources could not access counselling as an avenue of support
Schools are considered safe havens for adolescent girls because of reduced opportunity sexual abuse or interaction; adolescent pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic were blamed on school closure and gaps in supervision at home.
Psychosocial impact of the pandemic among adolescent girls was noted to include stress, disappointment, and suicidal ideation due to conflict with parents, school closure, pregnancy among other factors
Positive impacts / outcomes
When social gathering resumed, positive effects of such resultant social interactions were noted. Chama (support groups) provided an avenue for women and adolescent girls for psychosocial and peer support, health information sharing, and financial support
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How did gendered labor and roles shape the distribution of COVID-19 social impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Gender roles and social relations shifted during the pandemic, as men took on greater unpaid care work and women ventured more into paid work; parental responsibility towards children also increased. There was a greater appreciation of the role of women in community health
Negative impacts / outcomes
Parents faced challenges supervising or mentoring their children during school closures because of their need to seek income during the day. Increased adolescent pregnancies in Trans Nzoia was blamed on school closures, reduced supervision of girls, poor parenting, disconnect between parents and children, lack of structure, and isolation due to closure of spaces for mentoring and peer support
School dropout among adolescent girls and boys was noted to have increased during the pandemic due to lost interest in education following school closures, adolescent pregnancies and associated social stigma, need for paid work, and lack of school fees
Positive impacts / outcomes
Lost employment, stay-at-home advisories, and curfews resulted in men being at home for prolonged periods contributing to some doing more unpaid domestic and care work
Some women ventured into small business and informal work to fill gaps in household income due to lost formal employment of their male partners; some women became bread winners for the first time. Some children also took on income-generating activities during school closure to contribute to household income and cater to personal needs
Some communities facilitated village schooling where teachers volunteered within their villages and brought together students and taught them during school closure
As the pandemic progressed, people’s perception towards community health promoters (CHPs) shifted with an increased appreciation of their expertise and contribution to community health; CHPs noted increased compliance by patients their visited
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How did gendered norms and beliefs shape the distribution of COVID-19 social impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Family and community relations were partly shaped by how the pandemic and its impacts challenged societal norms and beliefs, worsening in some cases while improving in others. Restrictions on religious, cultural and social practices generally worsened individual and community wellness
Negative impacts / outcomes
Reduced ability of men to be bread winners and associated societal expectation of men as providers was noted to have contributed to family conflict, marriage breakdown, family disintegration, and domestic violence
Adolescent mothers and pregnant girls were subjected to social stigma while responsible men or boys were not held accountable. In some cases, financial compensation by the fathers or their families was paid to relieve them of parental responsibilities. Stigma and associated family conflict isolated the girls, negatively impacting their social life, self-esteem, and mental health
There was increased isolation and distrust in communities due to fear of COVID-19 infection and associated stigma as well as curtailed religious, spiritual and social practices (i.e., restrictions on social gathering, church closures at the height of the pandemic, limited social visits and handshakes)
Restriction on funeral and burial ceremonies disheartened residents of Trans Nzoia County: limitation on the number of attendees, short timeline between death and burial, and the hands-off handling of the dead made relatives unable to honor or grant dignity to the dead as required by customs. The bereaved were unable to mourn for their dead accordingly
Positive impacts / outcomes
There was a positive effect on family relationships and bonding during the COVID-19 pandemic in some cases. Stay-at-home advisories and curfew forced men to come into the home earlier in the day. Men are socially expected to be out of the home fulfilling their provider role at work and socializing with friends after work; many come into the home at night leaving little time for family bonding
Consumption of alcohol and drugs by men was noted to have reduced with closures of social places including drinking dens, curfew measures, and financial constraints; however, consumption among boys was noted to have increased during school closure
The pandemic was noted to have contributed to harmony in community as government, religious, nonprofit, and corporate organizations came together in support of COVID-19 response including through food donations; an inter-religious council was formed to support response efforts
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape the distribution of COVID-19 social impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Women’s position within the households, as caregivers who spend most of their time within the home, positioned them to make decisions on adherence of COVID-19 protocols that contributed to social isolation. However, mothers noted their limited control over the movement of their children, particularly boys
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How did government institutions and law contribute to social impacts of the pandemic, and how did they attempt to address these impacts?
COVID-19 measures implemented by the government including restrictions of social gatherings and school closures had negative social impacts. While social and wellness programs were initiated to mitigate these effects, social restrictions and work-from-home advisories limited government services and access
Negative impacts / outcomes
COVID-19 public health measures such as closures, restrictions on social gatherings and inter-county movement, stay-at-home advisories, and curfews had negative implications on social life, harmony, and connectedness, and customary and spiritual practices
The national and county goverments implemented school closures as a COVID response measure due to overcrowding in classrooms. However, this had immediate and longstanding social and educational effects, especially on girls; lack of internet or technology in public schools could not support virtual learning
Working from home (e.g., by telephone) by government officials at the department of social services was noted to have negatively affected service delivery as some issues pertaining community service to the elderly and persons living with disability require face to face; those with limited resources to make telephone calls were likely excluded from service
While there was greater representation of women in county-level government leadership in gender and social services, representation of other departments such as sports remained men-dominated in COVID-19 decision-making
Restriction of group gatherings and movement hindered consultation processes between county government and partners; the process of seeking permission to meet was noted to be tedious and booking a meeting venue that supports social distancing was expensive
Positive impacts / outcomes
The county government initiated programs for social supports on wellbeing of women and adolescents, as well as other vulnerable groups such as people living with disability, the elderly, and those living in poverty; in addressing floods that occurred during the pandemic, the government facilitated construction of housing for affected residents
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How did access to resources shape the distribution of COVID-19 economic impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Loss of incomes particularly affected daily wage earners and contributed to food insecurity and transactional relations by adolescent girls. Microfinance support groups allowed women to partly mitigate effects of income loss
Negative impacts / outcomes
Trans Nzoia residents experienced drastic loss of incomes due to collapse of businesses, layoffs, compulsory unpaid leave, curfews restricting business hours and reduced purchasing power. Individuals who relied on daily wages in the informal sector (e.g., men motor bike drivers and market women) were particularly affected
The poverty levels in Trans Nzoia County were noted to have increased during the pandemic particularly among the elderly, widows and orphans. Some families coped by reducing the frequency of the meals from three meals a day to two or less.
Economic hardship and food insecurity forced adolescent girls to engage in transactional sex to access food and personal hygiene products contributing to pregnancies during school closures
Access to loans from banks to mitigate economic impacts of the pandemic was limited among women because of their lack of assets required as collateral
Positive impacts / outcomes
While microfinance activities through chamas (peer support groups) were impacted by restricted social gatherings, some women were able to use these platforms to secure loans for food and to keep their small businesses afloat during the pandemic
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How did gendered labor and roles shape the distribution of COVID-19 economic impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Both women in the informal sector and men in the formal sector experienced income loses; more women and children engaged in income-generating activities to mitigate economic impacts of the pandemic
Negative impacts / outcomes
Women’s overrepresentation in the informal sector and micro-and-small businesses made them more likely to be affected by COVID-19 measures restricting movement and reducing business hours. Work-from-home advisories and virtual work practices benefits those in formal employment, mostly men.
Limited economic opportunities in urban centers (where men typically migrate for work leaving women to care for their children) contributed to a migration back to rural and remote settings
More women and children took on paid work to fill household income gaps following reduced employment and income opportunities in the formal sector, mostly affecting men’s income
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How did gendered norms and beliefs shape the distribution of COVID-19 economic impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Social norms and expectations of men as providers contributed to greater psychological impact of income loss and more prominent role of women as breadwinners.
Negative impacts / outcomes
More women took on provider role within households where men lost employment or income. Men typically rejected available income-generating activities that were feminized or devalued such as selling in the market. Family conflict was noted to arise where men felt demoralized by their limited ability to provide.
Social norms of mutual support, harmony, and accountability within financial support networks such as chamas (peer support groups) and cooperatives were weakened due to limited social interactions and economic hardship of members. This resulted in some avenues of financial self-help collapsing
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape the distribution of COVID-19 security impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
While women’s greater role as providers challenged gendered power dynamics, men made decisions on household mobility to cope with economic hardship. Cooperatives, and corporate, religious, and civil society organizations partly mitigated economic impacts
Negative impacts / outcomes
Women’s greater role as providers in response to negative economic impacts of the pandemic increased opportunity for decision-making on household expenditures
In some households where families had moved to urban centers close the men’s place of employment, men made the decision to send their families to rural areas or villages to reduce the household cost of living
Positive impacts / outcomes
Corporate, religious, and civil society organizations provided temporary relief to residents through food donations and crop seeds to farmers among other economic programs; some initiatives targeted women
Cooperatives offered loans to members at better rates than banks. Some revised loan repayment instalments and repayment periods to help members cope with the economic impacts of the pandemic. Decision of Cooperatives are made by their membership.
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How did government institutions and law contribute to security impacts of the pandemic, and how did they attempt to address these impacts?
Public health measures directly contributed to employment and income loss. The Trans Nzoia county responded through targetted tax suspensions and provision of material relief mostly benefitting women, the elderly, people living with disability, and families experiencing poverty
Negative impacts / outcomes
Public health measures such as closures, curfews, social distancing and stay-at-home advisories resulted in loss of income and employment increasing food insecurity and levels of poverty; logistics of transporting goods disrupted supply chains for businesses
Police enforcement of public health measures contributed to fear that deterred economic activities for those who relied on daily wages for sustenance
Positive impacts / outcomes
The Trans Nzoia county government responded to the economic impacts of the pandemic by redirecting budgetary allocations to provide food relief, sanitary towels, and flood-related housing support to most-in-need families, the elderly, and people living with disability: Over 30,000 families across 15 wards were supported through these initiatives
The county government suspended taxes for small informal businesses (approximately charged at 30 KSH a day). This provided relief to small business owners, especially women; the national government also provided additional tax relief during the pandemic
There was an increased awareness on the need for pandemic and emergency preparedness, and pre-designed response structures and funding allocation
There was an increased awareness on the need to invest in development initiatives aimed at creating economic opportunities at sub-county level; some people who had moved to urban centers for work moved back to rural areas during the pandemic due to lost employment and incomes
The gender and social services departments which took a lead in relief provisions to address effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and floods had a leadership team that was gender balanced
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How did access to resources shape the distribution of COVID-19 security impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Schools are considered a safe space for girls; this layer of protection was lost following school closures increasing girls’ vulnerability to abuse
Negative impacts / outcomes
Loss of schools as safe spaces for girls during closures increased risk of gender-based violence and adolescent pregnancies.
Limited economic opportunities and gaps in policing during curfew hours contributed to increased cases of robbery during the pandemic
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How did gendered labor and roles shape the distribution of COVID-19 security impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Police interactions with the public during enforcement of COVID-19 measures threatened personal security, especially for men
Negative impacts / outcomes
Punitive enforcement of public health measures by the police made it difficult for market women to engage in business due to fear of, and, harassment by police; however, the police were noted to have been more harsh towards men and women
Security personnel were noted to have experienced burnout due to intensive enforcement of public health measures; most security personnel are men
Income insecurity among health care professionals was notable during the pandemic as delayed wages and inadequate resources to respond to cases of COVID-19 contributed to labor action and strike
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How did gendered norms and beliefs shape the distribution of COVID-19 security impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Greater presence of men and children within the household than previously experienced contributed to tensions in households including increased risk of gender-based violence
Negative impacts / outcomes
Greater presence of men within households during the pandemic partly contributed to family conflict and gender based violence. Married couples noticed faults in each other that they might have otherwise ignored if not for the close and frequent interactions
Some women risked personal security by discharging themselves from quarantine centers to fulfil their family care responsibilities and for fear of infidelity by their husbands following their prolonged time away from the home
Strained relationships between adolescent girls and their parents were noted to expose the girls to situations that compromised their security such as seeking shelter or support from men
Positive impacts / outcomes
Restrictions in some social and cultural practices such as disco matangas (funeral parties) and night parties during the pandemic was perceived as having improved security within communities
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How did decision-making powers within households and communities shape the distribution of COVID-19 security impacts and how people responded to these impacts?
Restriction to movement and social interactions, by police in community and parents in households, contributed to social stress and insecurity
Negative impacts / outcomes
The police exercised punitive power in their enforcement of public health measures contributing to social stress and discord
Parents tried to restrict movement of adolescent girls outside the home following schools closures in an attempt to protect them from risks associated with adolescence pregnancy such as sexual assault and transactional sex
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How did government institutions and law contribute to security impacts of the pandemic, and how did they attempt to address these impacts?
COVID-19 public health measures contributed to insecurity within households and in community. Trans Nzoia County took steps to mitigate and address insecurity by running a GBV center, developing a child protection policy and reintegrating street children
Negative impacts / outcomes
COVID-19 public health measures that restricted movement and closure of schools and avenues of social support contributed to situation of insecurity including domestic violence and gender-based violence
Reliance on police in the enforcement of COVID-19 public health measures created a sense of insecurity and fear in community due to the punitive enforcement
Positive impacts / outcomes
Through multisectorial engagement, the county government ran a gender-based violence (GBV) center to support survivors including through counselling services, and encouraged reporting of GBV cases. The county also started discussions to develop a child protection policy
The county government collaboratively supported rehabilitation of street children by placing them in rescue centers before reintegrating them back to communities. The number of homeless children was noted to have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic
Methodology
Through research, we set out to assess risks, impacts, and resilience at play during the COVID-19 pandemic under the backdrop of ongoing Chamas for Change interventions. The Gender and COVID-19 Matrix was utilized as a research framework for data collection and analysis.
Developed by the Gender and COVID-19 Project (now, Gender and Public Health Emergencies global consortium), the Matrix supports analysis of how gendered power dynamics shape COVID-19 pandemic experiences. It includes domains that interrogate how gender interacts with access to resources, roles in society, societal norms and beliefs, distribution of decision-making power, institutional provisions, and how these subsequently shape differential risks and impacts of the pandemic across pre-selected COVID-19 topical domains.
Our analysis was informed by data collected through 11 focus groups and 11 key informant interviews— a total of 95 research participants. Focus groups included participants and nonparticipants of the Chamas for Change programme, men partners of women who had participated in the programme, as well as women and men community health promoters.
Geographical and social context
The Chamas for Change Matrix analysis was based on research conducted in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. The County borders Uganda on the West and is divided into five administrative sub-counties (see Figure 1) which are further subdivided into 25 administrative wards. It has two main urban centers (Kitale and Kiminini towns) and one referral hospital serving patients across the county (the Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital).
The population of Trans Nzoia is 990,341, with just over 500,000 being women (Kenya Population and Housing Census, 2019). Over 77 percent are below 35 years of age and 2.4 percent of the population lives with a disability. The County reports higher rates of poverty compared to national average rates. The main source of livelihood is agriculture: the County is said to be ‘Kenya’s breadbasket’ due to its large-scale production of maize (County Government of Trans Nzoia, 2023).
Gender roles in Trans Nzoia are produced and reproduced by norms and beliefs that designate women as caregivers and men as providers and protectors. This consequently limits women’s participation in paid employment and hence access to resources. Our study indicated potential shifts in gendered power relations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Figure 1: Map of Trans Nzoia County. Source: Ngera, Echaune, and Wamalwa, 2023.
*The Kitale County & Referral Hospital has, since 2024, been replaced with Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital
Acknowledgments
The Chamas for Change research project team includes Julia Songok (Principal Investigator), Astrid Christoffersen-Deb (Co-Principal Investigator), Sammy Masibo (Co-Principal Investigator), Violet Naanyu, Michael Scanlon, Laura Ruhl, Julie Thorne, Justus Elung’at, Anjellah Jumah, Anusu Kasaya, Sheilah Chelagat, Sally Maiyo, John Hector, Samuel Mbugua, Abiola Adeniyi, Nadia Beyzaei and Alice Mũrage.
Alice Mũrage facilitated the adaptation of the Gender and COVID-19 Matrix.
A Community Advisory Board representative of various segments of society in Trans Nzoia (county system-level representatives and community members with lived experiences) offered community-based expertise throughout the project and shaped our research approach.
This project is funded through the International Development Research Center’s Women RISE.
Contact information
For inquiry about the for Change project: deanmedicine@mu.ac.ke or juliasongok@gmail.com
For inquiry about the Matrix: alice_murage@sfu.ca
