Women group members in Malindi and Magarini Sub-counties in Kilifi County have been advised to diversify their investment to raise income that can enable them meet their financial responsibilities more effectively and efficiently.
Speaking to Sacco Review in his office in Malindi town recently, Mtana Mwahunga, Malindi and Magarini Sub-counties Youth Development Officer revealed that women play a key role in national development in the country, therefore there is an urgent need for the groups to consider investing in different sectors to maximize their income.
Mwahunga further disclosed that several projects belonging to Women groups have collapsed due to over reliance on donors, adding that the trend has equally hindered the growth of women projects in the two Sub-counties.
He appealed to women who have not joined groups to do so in order to improve their economic status.
Additionally, the Youth Development Officer, further urged members of women groups to be transparent and accountable in the implementation of their development projects.
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“You should therefore maintain your monthly contributions for the success of the projects”, he said.
He also asked Malindi and Magarini Sub-counties residents to intensify their efforts towards farming to boost food crop production in order to avoid relying heavily on relief food supplies from the government, adding that they should devise ways of fighting poverty at their respective homesteads.
Meanwhile, Kilifi North Sub-county Youth Development Officer, Roselyne Weketo disclosed that a total of 315 Women and Youth groups have benefited from Uwezo Fund loans amounting to shillings 24,810,000.
According to Weketo, out of the 315 groups that benefited from the Uwezo Fund loans, 178 groups were for women, 131 groups were for Youth, while 6 groups were for people living with disability respectively.
She further revealed that 178 women groups received shillings 13,840,000, 131 Youth group got shillings 10,500,000, while 6 groups of people living with disability received 470,000.
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However, she decried the slow pace in which the Women and Youth groups are currently paying their loans.
“The groups have made payments of only 13 percent of their Uwezo Fund loan which is actually too low”, she observed “ repayment of 50 percent and above of the Uwezo Fund loan by the groups could sound more encouraging”
She noted the trend has hampered the disbursement of more funds to other groups in the area.
Weketo asked the groups to pay their loans promptly so that other groups could also benefit from the same loan product.
By Tsozungu Kombe
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