By Reuben Olita
Busia Women Representative Hon. Catherine Omanyo has been recognized by the Isuzu Women Council for her advocacy in gender equality, education, and women empowerment.
Omanyo has been active and outspoken regarding issues of human rights and equality, which earned her recognition at the national and international levels. As a result, she became a role model for many in Busia County and throughout the country.
She has also been working on many projects focused on improving the lives of Busia residents and mobilizing resources aimed at levelling the playing field for women and the community at large.
Isuzu Women Council awarded her for the exemplary effort she has put in transforming society by being the voice of the underserved and oppressed persons.
Hon Omanyo was among women who were honoured by Isuzu Women Council for their
inspirational role of accelerating action and creating a meaningful impact in their respective fields.
On education, Omanyo has been able to offer second chance full scholarships to over 50 students for the last two years she has been in office.
The legislator has supplied 50 schools with water tanks and drilled an additional 100 boreholes in schools to ensure learners have enough chance to compete favourably with others across the country.
The women Rep has ensured learners from vulnerable families don’t drop out but propel them to reach their limits in life.
“Education is the equalizer in life. Most learners from rural areas drop out of school due to hard economic times at their places or unbearable conditions in schools like lack of access to basic needs like clean water,” Omanyo noted.
For the first time, the sub counties of Samia and Teso North which are in semi- arid cluster have had government lunch programmes, an initiative the legislator lobbied for to reduce cases school dropout which were on rise.
“We are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring our children go to school and also supporting community-based organizations so as to ensure that we have an educated and self-sufficient community,” stated Omanyo.
“With Busia being among poorest counties, there is a need for the government to launch school feeding programmes in all primary schools to sustain those learners and reduce absenteeism,” she added.
On gender advocacy and empowerment, Omanyo, through the NGAAF,has been able to issue grants to a total of over 215 groups as mean to boost their efforts in the business and agricultural sector.
“When I was elected in office, I realized most cases of GBV reported in Busia were as a result of high poverty index and residents lack of financial muscles to gear their development agendas. That is why we have issued grants to women groups, bodaboda groups, and youth groups from all seven constituencies to boost their efforts,” Omanyo said.
Omanyo serves as a living example of what could be achieved when women were given an opportunity to lead, GBV advocacy, championing for human rights and empowerment programmes that she earned recognition from Isuzu East Africa who are ready to crown her.
