Lower Eastern Women Cooperative Society (LEWOCO) is a women-led cooperative society registered on August 1, 2022, with registration number CS/27138. Its primary objective is to promote the welfare and economic interests of women and young people within Machakos County.
LEWOCO's membership consists of women from 26 different women's groups, all closely affiliated with Machakos Cooperative Union. These groups primarily engage in the craft of basket weaving as a source of income. Machakos Cooperative Union plays a crucial role in connecting these members with markets for their basket products.
The creation of this women-led cooperative was prompted by the realization that there was a void in organizations dedicated to enhancing the socioeconomic welfare of women in the region. LEWOCO, being a cooperative society, operates in alignment with fundamental cooperative values, including self-help, mutual responsibility, equality and equity, honesty, openness, and social responsibility, which guide its activities.
LEWOCO, through its various activities and interventions, actively supports the establishment of a robust cooperative system that contributes to good governance, democracy, and gender equality. Additionally, it focuses on promoting initiatives that lead to improved livelihoods and opportunities among smallholder farmers.
Members of these women's groups have collaborated with Machakos Cooperative Union for over 35 years to market their handwoven baskets internationally, generating income and improving their livelihoods in the process.