Livelihoods And Just Economies (River Niger)

Our Role

Feel the power and transformation of the River Niger, rising from the misty Highlands of Guinea, carving through the golden Sahara Desert, and breathing life into arid lands, turning them into hubs of agriculture, trade, and livelihoods. Like this river, we present the Livelihoods and Just Economies (LJE) pillar, a pillar that carries the hopes of millions in the informal economy, especially women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). Our economy pulses through the hands of informal traders and smallholder farmers, yet they remain unseen, unheard, and unprotected. Wamama wa Soko rise before dawn to navigate hostile markets where harassment, poor infrastructure, and unfair levies suffocate their micro businesses. Smallholder farmers, the backbone of our food security, are battling fake fertilizers, climate change challenges, and exploitative middlemen. Meanwhile, our youth, locked out of formal jobs, turn to digital jobs like content creation, online gigs, and e-commerce, only to be met with inadequate policies to protect their working conditions. The LJE pillar embodies the struggles of these important economic players, but, often forgotten when it comes to policy discussions that can change their lower earnings to better earnings to support their families, afford accessible and quality health and education, and live dignified lives. Yet, like the River Niger that gives life to every dry land it passes through, LJE pillar seeks to turn these challenges into opportunities. Through organizing, policy advocacy, and system change, grounded in human rights economy, we will amplify voices, transform exclusion into empowerment, and survival into sustainable livelihoods. Just as the River Niger never stops flowing, neither will TISA's advocacy for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive economic systems, and the right to food. The journey has just begun. Will you be part of it?

The Livelihoods and Just Economies (LJE) pillar underscores that only about 10-15% of the workforce in Kenya is in formal employment, with nearly 85% trapped in low-skilled, self-employed, and unpredictable livelihoods in informal and agricultural economic activities. Anchored in the Economic and Social Rights under Article 43 of the Constitution and the Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG), LJE emphasizes the right to dignified work and decent livelihoods for all, where no one is left behind. Kenya's informal economy spans diverse sectors and engages millions of women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in agricultural activities, second-hand clothes trading, fish mongering, boda-boda transport, and matatu services. It also encompasses small-scale agri-food systems, such as food processing, distribution, and waste management. These sectors underpin food security (right to adequate and nutritious food), household income, and economic resilience, with women often at the forefront of these efforts.

Key Outcomes

• To achieve an inclusive economy that sustains the livelihoods of all informal economy players, we will adopt a Systems Change Concept driven by Human Rights-Based and Gender Transformative Approaches that empower marginalized groups while protecting them from exploitative practices.
• This process will include leveraging technology for data-driven advocacy, using participatory mapping to identify gaps and challenges, and forming Winning Coalitions to facilitate dynamic dialogues with duty-bearers at both county and national levels.
• This collaborative effort will foster the formulation and implementation of inclusive policies that promote equitable access to resources and inclusive participation in economic governance for sustainable livelihoods.