Garissa county women are set to be the major beneficiaries of interest-free loans from a Sh150 million kitty launched on June 12 by Governor Ali Korane.
County executive for enterprise development Adow Jubat said that the women had already organised themselves in groups and were ready to take the funds.
“When going around the subcounties to sensitise residents on the fund and loans procedures we realised that our mothers and sisters already have the necessary documentation,” Jubat said.
He spoke at Garissa Primary School on Thursday while on the last day of the awareness campaign where his team traversed all the seven subcounties.
“That clearly shows that when we finally start disbursing the funds, they will take the lion’s share,” Jubat said.
The county executive challenged youths and persons living with disabilities to hasten preparations so that they can benefit from the funds.
Those who want to access the money should avoid the last-minute rush and take up risks, he said.
Fifty per cent of the fund was allocated to women while the rest will go to youth and persons with disabilities.
Every deserving group in all locations across the county will benefit from the kitty.
Youth running small businesses, blacksmiths, tuk-tuk and boda boda operators have, however, expressed fears that the fund could be influenced by clan or religious affiliations.
“I want to urge the fund committees to exercise honesty, transparency, and fairness in the issuance of the funds,” Hussein Fly, a youth leader, said.
The beneficiaries will undergo an entrepreneurship training and be granted three months grace period to establish their businesses before they start repaying.
While launching the revolving fund, Governor Korane urged the targeted groups to seize the opportunity presented to them and work towards self-reliance.
Korane said that the ara of relying on white-collar jobs is long gone because of the scarcity of such opportunities.
(edited by O. Owino)
