Gichugu MP Gichimu Githinji has called on his constituents to form as many welfare groups as possible and apply for the Uwezo Empowerment Fund.
Speaking in Njukiini on Tuesday, he said the zero-interest loan is key as it serves as capital to groups of individuals who have no financial ability to start financial empowerment projects by themselves.
“Many constituents are still ignorant about the fund and as such, the programme is still lagging behind in attracting applicants,” he said.
The MP was distributing Sh4.8 million cheques to 43 economic welfare groups across the constituency.
He said more than Sh5 million is still lying idle in the bank, waiting to be invested in economic welfare groups.
In light of the problem, the lawmaker said he is leading aggressive civic education of his constituents about the fund.
“The constituency fund officer and I have been enlightening the constituents on how to apply for the fund, how to form groups in order to qualify or the funds and how to wisely invest the fund in productive and income-generating activities,” Githinji said.
He said the money would go a long way in economically empowering the groups, which included first-time applicants and second-time applicants.
He said most second-time applicants benefited with double the amount of loans they had applied for during their first attempt.
He said this was as a result of paying up the initial loan in a timely manner.
In 2020, Gichimu said more than 50 groups across the constituency benefitted with more than Sh5 million under the Uwezo empowerment fund.
Felix Muriithi, the constituency fund trainer, said they will continue enlightening the people on the benefits of acquiring the funds.
He added that most beneficiaries had ventured into table banking, where they can loan money amongst themselves at a small interest rate of 3 per cent.
Through the mini-loaning and the ‘merry go round’ financial initiative, members can start small businesses within their area as well as improve the existing ones.
Nyaga Mutugi, a leader in one of the groups that benefited, on Tuesday expressed his gratitude, saying the programme has enabled his 13-member group to grow financially.
He said this was the second time his group had benefited under the programme, whereby they were loaned Sh180,000, which is double the amount they had applied for during the first time.
“If we have registered massive progress through the Sh90,000 that we received during the first time, how much more progress can we make with the Sh180,000 shillings which we have received today?” he said .
Another group led by Purity Wanjiku hailed the programme, saying it has enabled them to grow economically. She said through farming and poultry keeping, their economic wellbeing is improving by the day.
She called on fellow women who are yet to participate in the programme to do so in order to see the benefit of the fund.
