The Lakeside Region: Brief Background
The Lakeside Community Netherlands (LSCNL) is now more than ever called to be a major player in contributing to initiatives to improve the social economic and political wellbeing of the members in the Diaspora and the in Lakeside region back home in Kenya. This is because the Lakeside region has continually borne the brunt of political marginalization and unfavourable policies that have impeded the social economic growth of the region, thus culminating into stagnated economic development hence runaway unemployment rates which are at a record high, inadequate infrastructure, improvisation of many households in this region. Unemployment amongst the community is at a record high due to deliberate state marginalization policies.
Whereas the LSCNL members in the Diaspora may not directly be affected they are, in fact indirectly affected by extension and by virtue of bonds with family members who reside in the region. This is because the lakeside communities culture is based on a social capital ideology, where communities are obliged to share the scarce resources available. For instance, community and family members help contribute to fees and medical support for the more vulnerable households.
Whereas this is a positive moral obligation it nevertheless overburdens the few more economically able members of the community and more so the lakeside community members in the Diaspora who are perceived as economically better endowed. This has placed a lot of strain on most of the LSCNL members who are obliged to overstretch their resources to make remittances to meet the ever arising crucial needs back home. In essence, this has denied them the opportunity for personal financial growth and stability with an impact on their wellbeing. It is said, “Charity begins at home”. Thus whereas LSCNL will also focus on efforts to improve the wellbeing of communities back home, LSCNL short term strategy will lay emphasis on the social, economic and political empowerment of the members in the Diaspora.
