State launches sensitization program for women on affirmative funds
State Department for Gender Affairs Principal Secretary Prof. Collette Suda who officiated the opening of the Uwezo Fund Training Program.
What you need to know:
- The State department of Gender and UN Women have launched an empowerment program to create awareness and sensitize women to increase uptake of the government affirmative funds particularly Uwezo Fund.
- UN Women Country director Ann Mutavati, said the government’s agenda of ending GBV, women economic empowerment and expanding women’s voices, leadership and participation shall be realised through the partnership.
The State department of Gender and UN Women have launched an empowerment program across the 47 counties to create awareness and sensitize women to increase uptake of the government affirmative funds particularly Uwezo Fund.
The program, which is part of Uwezo Fund Training Program is designed to offer to help women form and register their groups to access government interest-free loans.
It is part of the Public Service Internship Program (PSIP) where the 120 interns deployed to the Uwezo Fund will create awareness and sensitize the women, youth and people living with disabilities to increase their uptake of the affirmative funds.
Gender Affairs Principal Secretary Prof. Collete Suda, who officially opened the training program in Nairobi told the interns to make a difference in the lives of the vulnerable groups by giving them the necessary support as they apply for funds.
UN Women Country director Ann Mutavati, lauded the partnership between UN Women and Uwezo Funds noting the government’s agenda of ending gender-based violence (GBV), women economic empowerment and expanding women’s voices, leadership and participation shall be realised.
Economic empowerment
“We commit to offer financial and technical support for the betterment of the fund and overall women economic empowerment in Kenya,” said s Mutavati.
Uwezo Fund CEO Mr Peter Lengapian said the work of the interns will be to create sensitize women, youth and persons living with disabilities on economic empowerment programs so that they can form and register their groups in order to access the government interest free loans.
Since its inception, Uwezo Fund has cumulatively disbursed Sh6.5 billion to the 290 constituencies, which have benefitted 70,102 groups among them 23,697 youth and 44,599 women groups.
Apart from Uwezo Fund, other affirmative funds by the national government include Women Enterprise Development Fund, Youth Enterprise Development Fund and National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, while disbursing affirmative action funds to women and youth groups in Meru, challenged them to take up loans from the various government affirmative action fund institutions to do business so as to create wealth and employment.
