Born into a family deeply rooted in the fishing tradition, Rukia Pamba Juma has emerged as a guiding light for the Pweza Women Group in Kenya’s Kilifi County since its inception in 2019.
As a mother of eight with more than two decades of experience in the fishing sector, Rukia advocates for local women, aiming to overcome gender inequalities in accessing fish resources, markets, and employment opportunities.
“My vision was to empower women economically, break down barriers hindering their progress, and provide employment opportunities to young, unemployed individuals,” she expressed during an interview with Health & Science.
With 30 members, the majority being women engaged in fish mongering and trading, the Pweza Women Group has become a catalyst for positive change in the community. Rukia has played a pivotal role in securing partnerships with donor organisations to source funds and training for women, equipping them with valuable skills to navigate the male-dominated industry.
“The objective of the Pweza Women Group was to enable these vulnerable women to have a voice in the fisheries sector, controlling the price of their products, owning their fishing vessels, and achieving financial stability in both business and household levels,” Rukia explains.
Kenya’s fishing industry contributes about 0.5 per cent of the national GDP and approximately 2 per cent of the national export earnings. Kilifi County’s artisanal fishery contributes a total of 9,306 MT annually, translating to 26 per cent of the total catch recorded along the Kenya coastline, valued at Sh2.4 billion.
Despite the crucial role women play in Kilifi County’s artisanal fishery, persistent gender inequalities, limited educational and training opportunities, and cultural beliefs impede their progress. “The Beach Management Unit regulations, for example, aim for at least a third of leadership positions in different levels of BMU structures to be filled by the opposite gender, but challenges persist,” says John Mwangi Gachuru, Director of the Fisheries Department in Kilifi County.
In 2021, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Socio-Economic Development project (KEMFSED), implemented by Kilifi County Government and funded by the World Bank, was launched to improve the management of priority fisheries and mariculture and increase access to complementary livelihood activities in coastal communities.