By Reuben Olita, Busia
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 a vocal advocate for human rights and equality, which has earned her recognition at both national and international levels. Her dedication to these causes has made her a role model in Busia County and across the country.
She has also spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Busia residents and mobilizing resources to level the playing field for women and the broader community.
The Isuzu Women Council awarded her for her exceptional efforts in transforming society by being the voice of underserved and oppressed individuals.
Hon. Omanyo was among the women honored by the Isuzu Women Council for their inspirational roles in accelerating action and creating meaningful impact in their respective fields.
On education, Omanyo has provided full second-chance scholarships to over 50 students during her two years in office.
Additionally, she has supplied 50 schools with water tanks and drilled 100 additional boreholes to ensure that students have the resources they need to compete on equal footing with others across the country.
The Women Rep has worked tirelessly to ensure that learners from vulnerable families do not drop out, empowering them to reach their full potential in life.
“Education is the equalizer in life. Many students from rural areas drop out of school due to difficult economic conditions at home or inadequate facilities in schools, such as a lack of clean water,” Omanyo noted.
For the first time, the sub-counties of Samia and Teso North, which are in a semi-arid region, have benefited from government lunch programs. This initiative, which Omanyo lobbied for, aims to reduce school dropouts, which had been on the rise.
“We are tasked with ensuring that our children go to school and supporting community-based organizations to ensure we have an educated and self-sufficient community,” stated Omanyo.
“Given that Busia is among the poorest counties, there is an urgent need for the government to launch school feeding programs in all primary schools to sustain learners and reduce absenteeism,” she added.
In terms of gender advocacy and empowerment, Omanyo, through the NGAAF, has been able to issue grants to more than 215 groups to support their efforts in business and agriculture.
“When I was elected, I realized that many of the cases of gender-based violence (GBV) reported in Busia were due to high poverty levels and a lack of financial independence to support development agendas. That is why we have issued grants to women’s groups, bodaboda groups, and youth groups across all seven constituencies to boost their efforts,” Omanyo said.
