Mfang'ano Island: Marathon enthusiasts raced around Mfang'ano Island in Suba North Constituency in an event organized to empower widows. Managing Director at Lake Basin Development Agency (LBDA) Wycliffe Ochiaga said the race was punctuated by a donation of Sh150,000 from the agency to boost various businesses that widows undertake on the island.
According to Kenya News Agency, Ochiaga noted that widows face many financial challenges and were unable to educate their children and meet their daily needs. The MD highlighted that sex for fish on the beaches was rampant and must be tackled as it was fueling the spread of HIV/Aids. He mentioned that the widows have been registered under the Widows Empowerment Programme spearheaded by the Principal Secretary for Interior, Raymond Omollo.
'We saw it wise to raise funds to support widows on Mfangano Island. The widows need to be empowered to enable them to educate their children and undertake business activities,' Ochiaga said. Urban Swaras Running Club, which has about 400 members, was one of the partners in the event. During the run, each participant was also given seeds of indigenous trees to increase the tree cover on the island.
Speaking after flagging off the event on Sena beach, Ochiaga said such marathons also open up the island for tourism and economic investments. 'The event has enabled us to open opportunities around Mfangano Island for tourism activities. We're going to do a documentary for marketing the island,' he said.
The Urban Swaras Running Club chairman, Anthony Kiai, said such races promote good health. Kiai said the run enabled them to create awareness on the importance of exercising and to work closely with organizers to make the run an annual event. 'Participating in such runs helps people to fight lifestyle diseases. We hope money raised will help the widows' groups to pay fees for their children,' Kiai said.
Suba West Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Samson Akach, said the island has a lot of opportunities which can benefit locals if prudently exploited. 'The island is secure for investment. Mfangano is safe and hospitable,' Akach said.