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Eco-credit and Livelihood Program
In 2021, COMRED, in partnership with GreenFi and Blue Ventures, piloted the Eco-credit scheme in Kwale county to facilitate access to credit and encourage community members to be part of sustainable resource management.
ECO-CREDIT SCHEME
A theory of change conducted with the BMUs
Indicated that leaders lacked cooperation from their members to participate in conservation activities, leading to a degraded environment and overutilization of marine resources. The members' demotivation stemmed from the lack of incentives, which led to the creation of eco-credits, an incentive-based system that would tie conservation activities to tangible benefits.
Through the eco-credit schemes community members are able to access loans as an incentive for engaging in conservation activities.
OUR COVERAGE
This project has been implemented in 29 community groups in 19 villages
(Mkwiro, Wasini, Kibuyuni, Majoreni, Munje, Mwandamu, Bodo, Shimoni, Vanga, Jimbo, Mkunguni, Mwaembe, Funzi, Roka and Wesa), and its success shows us the potential of scaling to other BMUs along the coast.
The eco-credit group members engage in mangrove restoration, establishing mangrove nurseries, conducting beach clean ups and community awareness sessions on importance of conservation.
The Impact
The Impact
- 29 eco-credit groups with 1,000 community members directly benefiting from the project by accessing loans on a revolving basis
- USD 33,000 eco-credit seed grants issued to 1,000 direct beneficiaries, within 32 groups in 60 coastal villages to incentivize conservation and improve access to finance for the unbanked and underbanked.
- Growth of the eco-credit seed-grant by over 50%within 2 years. 1,700 loans totaling USD 80,000 issued and USD40,000 accumulated in savings.
- 65 local community workforce engaged in data collection and resource monitoring.
- 40 eco-credit leaders trained and mentored on using ODK Collect
- 19 eco-credit Community Based Trainers (CBTs) trained on the use of KOBO toolkit for data collection
- Over 400,000 mangrove seedlings raised in nurseries, and more than 300,000 of these transplanted to degraded areas
- 42 awareness sessions held during BMU assembly meetings and village barazas on environmental conservation
- 56 beach clean-up sessions done: 16.6 tonnes of waste sold (metal, glass, plastic, flip flops, HDPE)
- Establishment of new businesses and expansion of existing ones through loans
- Members being able to meet their social needs such as paying school fees and hospital bills
KES 4.2M
"Eco-credit is different compared to other loaning schemes we have access to. In Eco-credit, we conserve the environment and at the same time get loans in form of money which we use to empower ourselves by starting and expanding our businesses and also take our children to school."
"Eco-credit is different compared to other loaning schemes we have access to. In Eco-credit, we conserve the environment and at the same time get loans in form of money which we use to empower ourselves by starting and expanding our businesses and also take our children to school."
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Our annual newsletter highlights our program impacts and updates on livelihood and conservation activities and milestones.
