Maisha Makutano, Kenya’s new edutainment series, features ILRI’s gender and livestock research

When researchers from the gender team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) met the team working on Maisha Makutano, an edutainment soap opera tackling challenging social themes from financial inclusion to reproductive health, there was plenty to talk about.

As the production team was defining the social themes to highlight in the new series, ILRI researchers were trying to solve another problem: what kinds of interventions could help women agripreneurs succeed in their livestock businesses?

Too often, gender norms hold them back, restricting access to resources, credit, better breeds, and sometimes even respect from their families and communities.

One potential solution is Women in Business.

“Women in Business is a business model that engages women vets and para-vets to provide women chicken farmers from remote areas with good breeds, animal health services, and markets,” explains Alessandra Galiè, principal scientist and ILRI gender team lead.

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Photo: Boran women with sheep and goats at a traditional deep well water source, Garba Tulla, Isiolo, Kenya (ILRI/Fiona Flintan)

Curated by Tezira Lore, Communication Officer, ILRI