WHY AND HOW DO WE PLAY A SUPPORTIVE ROLE TO OUR SPOUSES?
Spousal support, as popularly termed in law, should not only be for when a relationship hits rock bottom but also the kind of support necessary to support ideas and initiatives together. Our primary objective as NALSA(K) is to offer a supportive role to our spouses as current or former Members of the National assembly.
Hypothesis.
Denis Kiogora, in his repository article “the role of spousal support in family ventures”, lists the importance of spousal support as Pulling resources, social capital support, management support and emotional support. While Kiogora’s article focuses on spousal support for family businesses, his points well expound on why NALSA(K) was formed and its significance. The points can also apply to those supporting their spouses who have a leadership role in society.
The significance of spousal support in detail entails;
i) Pulling resources.
NG-CDF allocations are insufficient to carry out development initiatives in a constituency. Individually we all have our networks from which we tap to be able to conduct programs in locations that would otherwise be at a disadvantage. Times are complex, and that support from your spouse comes in handy.
We can never run short of substantive examples of how spousal support is transforming our society. For instance, there’s the Mama Twende group in the Westlands constituency. The chairperson, NALSA(K), was able to tap into this connection to acquire library books for public schools in Westlands constituency, which she represents. The table banking women groups also accompanied for the launch of her projects in Old Kihumbuini and Kangemi primary schools. Sally Atandi, our vice-chair, is transforming her community by tapping her social capital and is helping equip the maternity wing at Mur Malanga Health Facility while at the same time building a dispensary from scratch; she spearheads Women United For Our Future in Alego Usonga.
Pulling together from our networks is a readily available option to supplement the allocations that constituencies receive from the government.
You can read more on how we draw our social capital links to empower our community as members.
ii) Management support.
Management support takes varied forms, i.e. effective communication between workers and managers, decisions making, feedback and helping with complex tasks. Whether at home or work, formal or informal, the partner can likely put all affairs in order. Sometimes work is demanding, and a supportive partner helps alleviate the stress that comes with leadership.
iii) Emotional support to members
NALSA(K) has a welfare fund that supports members in different bereavement instances, e.g. if a NALSA(K) member spouse passes on or a child, they gets some form of assistance from NALSA(K).
A recent case of our welfare where we supported a member is the passing of the then Juja MP Hon Francia Munyua Waititu in February of 2021. However, this kind of support is strictly for members who registered for welfare.
Justification
Utilising our roots in society assists NALSA(K) attain its goals. An encouraging example is the current series of collaborations with Proudly Kenyan link. Countrywide, NALSA(K) members have been able to bring about change by introducing better sanitation in public schools. Re-integrate teen mothers into society, renovate worn-out school blocks, introduce reusable sanitary pads to girls, construct a dispensary, start a green energy initiative and launch economic empowering projects in our members’ communities.
Worldwide Examples of spousal organisations.
i) Spousal Membership for Veterans Organisations Act of 2019 is the closest United States of America lawmakers have expressed genuine interest in spousal organisations. The Act, still in its formative stage, is meant to cater for the welfare of war veterans after active military service for their spouses, dead or alive.
ii) The first lady of Kenya is a national example from which community projects are run independently and offers an alternative form of lobbying for more from the government.
ii) The Well Spouse Association (WSA) is a national organisation which supports husbands, wives and partners of individuals who are chronically ill or disabled. The organisation works to make health care professionals and the general public aware of the great difficulties caregivers face. The Well Spouse Association provides peer-to-peer support to the wives, husbands, and partners of the chronically ill or disabled. They offer support through programs, events, and resources—the organisation is in New Jersey, USA.
iii) Another excellent example of spousal support is the spouses and partners of Commonwealth Heads of state. On June 22 came together to commit to action on the elimination of cervical cancer. Through their circles of influence, they pledged to work towards eliminating cervical cancer in society. Even though it does not formally exist as an organisation, the support is a good enough gesture on the kind of influence these kinds of organisations have.
iv) THE UNITED NATIONS KENYA LOCAL EXPATRIATES SPOUSES ASSOCIATION (UNKLESA) is a local example of a spousal organisation desirous of improving their well-being, integration, socialisation, professional development, and employability, especially in Nairobi and the surrounding areas.
Conclusion
There is nothing unachievable when we pull together in one direction. NALSA(K) offers an incredible opportunity for lobbying change but also performs community outreach to Kenyan communities that would otherwise be at a disadvantage.
Post by Anyanzwa Brian
Photography by Julia Laval