Dr. Lucy Ng’endo, Uasin Gishu County’s Chief Executive Committee Member for Education, Culture, Gender and Social Protection, has transformed Eldoret into Kenya’s only town without street children.
She has managed to rescue 1,244 children, 40 young people, 14 stressed mothers, and 65 men through a county-funded rehabilitation center.
The 52-year-old JKUAT graduate in Soil, Water and Environmental Engineering from Burnt Forest has revolutionized county revenue collection to Ksh 1.4 billion monthly, employed 1,466 permanent ECD teachers with competitive salaries, and established 13 vocational training centers across Uasin Gishu County.
Her impact on county finances laid the foundation for everything else.
Dr. Ng’endo was instrumental in establishing the innovative revenue collection system that now generates Ksh 1.4 billion monthly for Uasin Gishu County.
She introduced a one-stop desk that slashed bureaucracy and streamlined county processes, making services more accessible to residents while maximizing revenue collection efficiency.
With financial resources secured, Dr. Ng’endo turned her engineer’s precision to education transformation.
Her department has employed 1,466 ECD teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, a rarity in Kenya’s county governments.
The salary structure makes Uasin Gishu one of the highest-paying counties.
For early childhood educators; degree holders earn Ksh 60,000 monthly, diploma holders receive Ksh 34,000, and certificate holders get Ksh 27,000.
The county now operates 692 ECD centers serving 34,000 learners who receive milk courtesy of the county government.
Currently, 95 projects are underway constructing ECD centers, classrooms, ablution blocks, and offices across the county.
When the national curriculum shifted from CBC to CBE, Dr. Ng’endo’s department was prepared, having already developed learning materials for the competency-based education framework.
Beyond early childhood education, Dr. Ng’endo established 13 vocational training centers employing 76 vocational trainers.
These centers serve dual purposes; providing skills training for youth seeking employment and offering rehabilitation pathways for rescued individuals.
The integration creates a seamless journey from rescue to sustainable livelihood.
Her cultural impact has been equally significant.
Dr. Ng’endo successfully organized county cultural festivals that started at grassroots level and engaged 6,000 participants.
Her department’s talent identification process resulted in 4,900 participants qualifying to represent Uasin Gishu at the national level, an 82% conversion rate that demonstrates both the depth of local talent and the quality of the selection process.
The crown jewel of Dr. Ng’endo’s achievements is the children rescue center, fully funded by the county government.
Through this facility and its programs, Eldoret has become the only town in Kenya with no street children. The 1,244 rescued children, along with young people, stressed mothers, and men, receive comprehensive support from the county government and partner stakeholders.
After training, they transition to vocational training centers where they acquire marketable skills for employment.
