Job* Enkai, 65-year-old widower and a father of 7 (3 boys and 4 girls) has been a beneficiary of a cash transfer programme implemented by Oxfam and funded by ECHO in Turkana. Job was recruited into the programme through a process that is community based and facilitated by Oxfam staff and the community’s administrative leaders; and borrowing heavily on the process that was spearheaded by the National Drought Management (NDMA), a National Government agency.
Through the programme, Job was supposed to receive monthly stipend of Ksh 2,700 for a period of 17 months (May 2016 to December 2017). Job started receiving the money through his bank account as had been informed by the Oxfam staff for the first 12 months without facing any challenge during withdrawal, either in the bank or through the bank agents in his locality in Kakuma area. From March 2017, Job started experiencing challenges in the access of his money either through the bank or the agent(s). He was turned away on several occasions with the bank staff and agents citing non- conformity of his finger prints with the bank thumb machines.
During this period, Job had sought the intervention of his village elder and the Chief to no avail. No one was ready to listen to him; both at the bank and at the agents’ premises. He lost hope.
On September 19th 2017, the TI-Kenya Turkana County Convener and the National Convener together with Oxfam Field officer, were conducting community forums in the larger Turkana West Sub County, Kakuma included. Job was one of the community members who attended one of the forums. The community members were sensitised on their rights to give feedback on both aid and service delivery that is offered by state and non-state actors.
The County Convener took them step by step on how to give feedback through the Uwajibikaji Pamoja platform, and what TI-Kenya and its partners will do to ensure that the feedback given is addressed on time. After, the forum, Job came forth and shared his story. The County Convener supported him to fill a complaint form to register his feedback. Further, together with the TI-Kenya team and the Oxfam staff, they had an opportunity to visit the bank’s Kakuma branch where he shared his story to the Bank Manager.
After checking his account and confirming his registration details, Job was able to access his stipend that had accumulated for seven months. “TI-Kenya team is God sent! I had completely given up and even asked my two daughters who were schooling to forfeit school and support me in doing menial jobs to feed the rest of the family. I thank God. God bless your organisation,” Job said after he was given his money.
*Name changed to conceal true identity
