INFORMAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF ELDORET MUNICIPALITY IN KENYA
ABSTRACT As formal jobs get more and more scarce while the number of potential workers continues to increase, the informal sector is increasingly becoming an important employer throughout Kenya. The crucial role the informal sector plays in the Kenyan economy was given formal recognition by the Government of Kenya in 1988 with the creation of the Ministry of Technical Training and Applied Technology to regulate this sector. However, despite this official recognition, very little has been done by the government to improve the welfare and working conditions of those involved in this sector. This paper offers a case study of the informal sector in Eldoret Manucipality in Kenya. In Eldoret this sector is vibrant and can be found in the busiest places of the Central Business District as well as in high density residential areas. The results of this study indicate a gendered division of the sector into two parts: namely, the production sector dominated by men and the service sector dominated by women. The centr...
"I don't tell my husband about vegetable sales" : gender dynamics in urban agriculture in Eldoret, Kenya
Drawing on the sustainable livelihood approach, this book explores gender dynamics in urban agriculture, which is an integral part of the diversified portfolio of livelihood strategies adopted by residents of Eldoret town to cope with hard economic times. It explores the motives, needs, preferences and contributions of men and women in urban agriculture and the benefits they derived from it individually and for their households. It shows how these were mediated by social norms and gender ideologies, entitlements to farming resources, individual capabilities and personal agency. Also explored in the book are the inter-linkages between urban agriculture and other livelihood strategies and the role of gender relations in the process, as well as policy implications for sustainable and more equitable urban agriculture.
Using Skills from Art in Surgical Practice and Research-Surgery and Art
Many aspects of surgery and the arts are inexorably linked together, and the use of artistic techniques or ideas to improve surgical practice is present throughout the history of medicine. In all forms of surgery, throughout the ages, artists have been used to illustrate new ideas, new techniques and to document surgical practice. Some of the most successful art originated from surgeons who were also artists; perhaps due to their innate understanding of what they were portraying. Studying art and developing creative skills can enhance modern surgical practice in many different ways.