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.