By Peter K. Angore.
Imarika SACCO once again held a memorable end of year get together to award best savers in respect to Malaika Junior Savings account holders. Malaika Junior Savings a/c is a product for children aged 18 years and below. The ceremony was held at the Reef Hotel for all children with accounts at Kilifi, Mtwapa, Mariakani and Ukunda branches, while for those with accounts at Malindi and Garsen Branches was held at Sai-Eden Rock Hotel in Malindi.
The festive which is done once every year in the month of December is meant to recognize and award the best savers of the Malaika Junior Savings product. It attracts all account holders with over Ksh20,000 savings balance running for six months and above. The Sacco normally organizes various games which include swimming, bouncing castle, dancing, goggling and many other fun filled games where the account holders come to enjoy. It also gives the children who come from different diversities an opportunity to meet, mingle, eat and share experiences with each another.
The event which took place on Friday, 9th, December 2016 attracted a total number of 343 account holders who were also accompanied by 200 parents/guardians bringing altogether about 550 participants. This is the number of the account holders who qualified based on the qualifying criteria. Giving a brief during the event, the Marketing Manager, Mr. Jackson Gevera said: “since Malaika Junior Savings product was introduced 2,204 accounts have so far been opened with a total savings of Ksh24.66 million, this is very encouraging and we wish parents to continue helping their children to embrace the savings culture and secure their children financial future needs”
Each account holder with over Ksh20,000 savings account was awarded a Malaika Junior branded school bag and in addition the three top savers in every branch were awarded educational materials and stationary worth Ksh5,000 Ksh3,000 and Ksh2,000 respectively. The branch which had the highest number of savings accounts was Kilifi, followed by Malindi, Mariakani and Mtwapa respectively. Bamba, Garsen and Ukunda had only 11 accounts in total.
While addressing the parents at the Reef Hotel, Mr. Reuben Kaphu, the Society Treasurer said,” there was need for parents to make more savings for the children, this would help parents accumulate savings which would be useful when need arises”. Mr. Sharriff Shehe a Board of Director at the meeting said,” it is through the little savings parents strive to save that can accumulate to big money in a rainy day”. He wished that out of the entire Sacco membership of over 40,000, at least 10% to open Malaika Junior Accounts for their children. This would turn to be about 4,000 accounts as opposed to the current number of 2,204. The Sacco chairman, Mr. Renson Ndoro who attended the Malindi function thanked parents who took the initiative to open the Malaika Junior Savings accounts for their children. He said the Sacco would continue to honor and award the best savers as a sign of recognition for their efforts in supporting the Sacco.
