Meru groups get Sh51 million for empowerment

Oct 13, 2023 - 17:03

Meru County Woman Representative Ms. Kailemia addressing those who attended the launch of the empowerment fund for women and youth in the county. (Photos by Dickson Mwiti).

Meru,

Friday, October 13, 2023,

KNA by Dickson Mwiti

At least 150 Women and Youth groups in Meru County got Sh 51 million for economic empowerment after the County Woman Representative Ms. Elizabeth Kailemia released cheques to beneficiaries.

Speaking during the launch of the exercise at her offices in Meru town, Ms. Kailemia said that her main aim is to empower women and the youth by issuing them with funds for table banking and those meant to initiate or support existing projects.

She said the two initiatives would enhance the members' financial autonomy hence lead to the development of their families.

"When you empower women financially, you have empowered the entire family and this is what we are mainly purposing to do," said Ms. Kailemia.

After the launch, she said she would visit all the 45 wards in the county issuing cheques as well as training groups on how to use the funds for future gains.

"We need to impart basic financial knowledge to these groups so that they can use the money prudently. We don't want a scenario where group members divide the money amongst themselves and end up using them in ways that they will not get any profit," said Ms. Kailemia.

She also supplied tree seedlings to the groups and launched the distribution of water tanks to the groups to help solve water shortages in the county through water harvesting.

The County MP also vowed to ensure the girl child especially in Meru County was safe from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early pregnancies as well as HIV/AIDs infections.

“I am committed to empowering all women in this County and soon I will make sure that every girl in Meru is well protected from abuses such as FGM and other atrocities. I will also ensure that every girl is accessing affordable pads and come up with a way of making them and supplying them free across the County,” she said.

Ms. Kailemia was accompanied by MCAs led by Caleb Mutethia (Municipality), who vowed to work together with other leaders to develop the region.

Courtesy; KNA