My Vision: Why I Founded the Nyakamami Foundation
My life’s work has been defined by a simple principle: true leadership means transforming lives and leaving no one behind. From making history as the first woman elected Deputy Governor of Kisumu County to my current role as your Kisumu County MP, I have always championed the rights of women, youth, and the vulnerable.
However, throughout my journey in public service, I realized a challenging truth. While our 2023–2027 Strategic Plan for Kisumu is bold and transformative, the resources available through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) are often stretched thin. To truly deliver on our promises of food security, social protection, and economic dignity, we needed a bridge, a vehicle that could move faster, reach further, and partner with the world.
I founded the Nyakamami Foundation to be that bridge.
The Foundation is the realization of a personal mission to turn policy into prosperity. I chose to start this Foundation for three clear reasons:
- To Bridge the Resource Gap: My strategic assessments showed a significant funding gap required to achieve our county’s goals. The Foundation allows us to mobilize the extra resources needed to drill the 35 boreholes, train the 2,100 farmers, and support the 3,500 health cover beneficiaries we have committed to.
- To Build Global Partnerships: I wanted to create a platform built on international standards of transparency and accountability. By doing so, we can invite global donors and the private sector to invest directly in the people of Kisumu.
- To Create Sustainable Change: Politics can be seasonal, but empowerment must be permanent. The Foundation is designed to build market-based solutions, like our ICT hubs and Blue Economy initiatives, that will sustain our communities for generations to come.
Through the Nyakamami Foundation, I am channeling my vision for an empowered, food-secure, and socially protected society. We are focusing on six transformative pillars from the Blue Economy to Social Protection, ensuring that every intervention is grounded in the real needs of our mothers, our youth, and our persons with disabilities.
For me, this work is personal. I believe that by creating opportunities for education and enterprise, our communities can rise above poverty and inequality. I invite you to join me in this journey of transformation. Together, we are building a Kisumu where everyone has the opportunity to thrive with dignity.
Hon. Ruth Adhiambo Odinga Busia Founder, Nyakamami Foundation.
