Thika groups get KES. 4 million in Uwezo Fund loans
Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina has decried low uptake of the various funds from government agencies despite the availability of such finances meant to improve their standards of living.
Speaking
on Friday while disbursing UWEZO Fund cheques worth KES. 4
million to 32 groups, the MP urged the residents
to align themselves with beneficial opportunities such as UWEZO Fund in a bid
to get financial grants to grow their own businesses especially now that most
of them had been adversely affected by the COVID-19 socio-economic challenges.
The
groups, majority of who were start-ups, got between KES. 100,000 and KES.
200,000.
He called on the youth to
form groups and apply for the money, saying they had a lot of energy to invest
in profitable activities. He lamented that the locals barely utilised half of the funds
allocated to them annually, adding that this year, KES. 7 million had been set
aside for them in the UWEZO Fund.
“I
am very impressed by the kind of investments being undertaken by various groups
here. I also encourage you to align your visions with the BIG 4 Agenda,” said
Wainaina.
The
legislator encouraged these groups to develop a savings culture even if it was saving
KES. 100 per day. This he said would boost their bargaining power and assist
them to grow and invest in improved investment opportunities.
He
appealed to the government to allocate more money to these funds as they sought
to increase the amount given to small and micro businesses in their stimulus
package.
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