Joy for Kakamega groups as Barasa releases KSh12m empowerment fund
The County Government of Kakamega has awarded 120 economic empowerment groups with a Ksh.12 million grant to boost their livelihoods after completing their two-year contract.
In a colourful ceremony held at Bukhungu Stadium, Governor Fernandez Barasa, while dispatching the dummy cheque to the groups that were formed from the County Youth Service and Women Empowerment Programme, said it was a move to keep the groups vibrant and able to fend for themselves.
The 3,000 employees drawn from the 60 wards within the county assembled at the stadium, where the governor pledged to reconsider them in the coming different county job opportunities as they had served the county well.
The Governor, who officiated the ceremony, lauded the efforts the cohort has displayed, playing an important role in keeping the county clean and supporting other county projects across their wards, and hence had taken the initiative to have them trained on financial literacy before receiving their grants, which they will invest in agreed development projects.
“Out of the Ksh.12 million grant we are issuing to them, each ward, which has two groups, one for women and the other for the youth, will receive Ksh.200,000 each to realise their desired income-generating projects they identified, and our officers will be doing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that proper utilisation is ongoing to attract more funding in the future,” he promised.
The governor also hinted that the county microfinance office will be able to boost those (CYSWEP) who harbour various talents by ensuring they expand and grow in their endeavours.
He also announced that another Ksh.60 million will soon be disbursed next month to another set of groups, including persons living with disabilities (PLWDs), youth and women, with each group getting Ksh.50,000 and 20 groups in the ward receiving Ksh.1 million.
Barasa stated that the cohort will be given equal opportunities when job openings within the wards, projects and county at large materialise, noting that affirmative action will be key.
The Director of the CYSWEP, Luke Shikanga Otipo, hailed the programme as it enhances service delivery at the county level.
To honour their service as a county, we have decided to enable them form two groups in each ward, which will be financially awarded to see them continue earning a living and support their livelihoods.
CECM Gender, Youth, Sports, Social and Library Service CPA Jackilne Masicha said the county will continue to empower its cohorts as one way of strengthening and uplifting them economically, adding that the financial literacy programme will also play a vital role in educating them on making the right decisions in business.
