1.    What is the Role of Social Services in the Ministry?

2.    What are the requirements for registering a group?

A self help group is made of 15 or more members whose aim is to pool resources together for social welfare and socio-economic development.
The conditions for registering are:-

a.    Duly filled self help application forms
b.    Constitution/By-law
c.    Minutes of the group’s meeting indicated elected officials, and decision to register
d.    List of all group members, their ID and signatures
e.    Registration fee of Kshs. 1000.

Types of groups registered

(a)    Women groups
(b)    Youth groups
(c)    Self help groups
(d)    Groups of Persons with Disability
(e)    Groups of elderly persons
(f)     Groups of persons living with HIV/AIDS and support groups
(g)    “Community Based Organizations”

3.    What is the difference between Community Development and Social Development?

(a)    Community Development
Community Development is defined as a process by which members of a community are actively involved in activities that are aimed at improving their living conditions. The strategy used to ensure the above takes place is Community Mobilization defined as a process of bringing people together for a cooperate action in order to promote development.

Community Development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people by providing these groups with skills they need to effect change in their own communities.

(b)  Social Development
Social Development is a process which results in the transformation of Social structures in a manner which provides the capacity of the society to fulfill its aspirations.  It is about empowering people by creating more inclusive cohesive and economic societies.  Some of the Social structures that are dealt with social development includes education and health sector.  Community Development is a strategy that is used to bring about social development.

4.    What support does the Department give to the groups and its clients?

The Department provided technical and financial support to groups in the followings:-

i)    Groups mobilization and Registration
ii)    Provision of small grants to boost group income generating and social welfare activities and programmes
iii)    Build the capacity of group leaders by mounting training on various group management and leadership skills
iv)    Advisory and referral services e.g. Referral of groups to various partners and locally based institutions such as CDF and Government Departments for technical and financial assistance.

5.    What is the difference of Self Help Groups and Community Based organization?

a)    See No. 2 above

b)    Registration of Community Based Organizations
Registration of Community Based Organizations falls within the armpit of registration agencies such as the Ministry of Co-operatives and Registrar of Societies.  However some Self Help Groups are also referred as CBOs and are registered by the Department.

The definition of a Community Based Organization for purpose of registration by the Department of Gender and Social Services is “an amalgamation of registered Self Help Groups operating within a defined geographical area e.g.  Location, District”.

The CBOs should be willing to fulfill all the Self Help Groups registration requirements and pay Kshs. 5,000 as Registration fee.

6.    Why is it important for communities to participate in development?

Communities are groups of people who live within the same geographical area and most likely share the same cultural, political and economic values, expectations and ideas.  They are citizens and have rights and responsibilities. 

In order to participate in the rights, benefits and privileges enshrined in their constitutions.  It is prudent that the communities must participate in development, in all levels.