Over 300 youth, women and persons living with disability in Nairobi have received Ksh176 million towards economic empowerment and capital for businesses.
The Ministry of Public Service and Gender through the affirmative action funds, Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Enterprise Development Fund as well as Uwezo fund on Wednesday, February 10 disbursed KSh 176,774,000 to the successful applicants.
Chief Administrative Secretary, Rachel Shebesh called upon the groups to apply for more funds to enable them to build a strong economic foundation to support their living.
"I want to urge all of you to make good use of this money and empower yourself, the government is ready to finance you through loans," Shebesh said.
The funds issued included KSh 61.5M from the Women Fund, KSh59M from Uwezo fund and KSh56M frm the Youth Fund. Youths, women and the disabled from all the 85 Nairobi county’s wards are legible for the funding.
The funding is geared towards promoting entrepreneurship and trade amongst the beneficiaries from informal and formal settlements in the capital city.
Nairobi Deputy Governor Anne Kananu announced that the county government will continue empowering the youths, women and people with disabilities by allocating them at least 30 percent of the county’s budget.
The county boss directed the finance, devolution and youth departments to develop other strategies to be used as kitties for youths and women.
“We must realize that by supporting our women and youth to get more opportunities as entrepreneurs, we will be eliminating crime and creating more jobs,” said Kananu.
Women Enterprise Fund CEO Eng Charles Mwirigi challenged elected and nominated leaders in Nairobi to bring on board more groups to maximize the uptake of the funds from the ministry.
Mwirigi echoed Kananu’s idea by urging women to come forward and apply for the funds to help them stabilize and scale their businesses.
The ICT, youth and innovation CAS Nadia Ahmed Abdalla expressed her concerns saying that the youth and women had not shown much interest in the government-issued business funds.
NMS boss General Major General Mohammed Badi, Nominated Senator Beatrice Kwamboka, Nairobi Women Rep Esther Passaris, Roysambu MP Waihenya Ndirangu, Kamukunji MP Yussuf Hassan and Kibra MP Imran Okoth and Several Nairobi MCAs were also present at the cheque issuing event at City Hall.
