45 small enterprises from Thika benefit from Sh. 4.8m funding

Thika MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina (left) and Thika West DCC Douglas Mutai presenting a cheque to one of the beneficiaries.

45 small business groups drawn from the various wards within Thika Town Constituency on Friday got a major boost when they received cheques amounting to KES. 4.8 million from UWEZO Fund.

The entities who included bodaboda operators, Jua Kali artisans and poultry farmers received the cash following rigorous training on prudent financial management.

While distributing the cheques, area MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina described small business enterprises as the growers of any economy since they created value at the lowest cadre of the community cadre.

He urged the youth, women and persons living with disability to take the advantage of such interest free loans to better their livelihoods. He also urged upcoming entrepreneurs to source for financing from other financial institutions in order to supplement whatever money they had as seed capital.

He lauded the government for banning importation of various locally manufactured goods thereby helping Kenyans to buy and build Kenyan products.

Through capacity building, Wainaina stated that Kenyans have continued to display great potential in technological discovery of societal solutions most needed in the country.

Some of the beneficiaries narrated how their businesses had been hit hard by the socio-economic times since the advent of COVID-19 pandemic.

They said that measures set to beat the spread of COVID-19 had resulted to an increase in operating expenses for businesses pushing majority of micro and small businesses, particularly those in the service industry to the blink of collapse.