Sh250m donor fund to help fight poverty

PHOTO | FILE Members of various community-based groups in Nakuru undergo training by Hand In Hand, a local NGO working with members of the public in projects aimed at alleviating poverty.

What you need to know:

  • The devolved units which are set to benefit from the first phase in the next three years include Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni, Nakuru, Baringo and Kisumu
  • The money would help the low income earners start viable businesses in select areas after forming groups

Kenyans living below the poverty line are set to benefit from a Sh250 million donor fund from the Sweden International Development Agency and Sweden Medical Aid.

To be channelled through Hand In Hand Eastern Africa, the money is targeting youths and women earning below one dollar a day who will be trained in an enterprise incubation programme covering eight counties where the non-governmental organisation has opened its 13 branches.

The devolved units which are set to benefit from the first phase in the next three years include Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni, Nakuru, Baringo and Kisumu.

The money would help the low income earners start viable businesses in select areas after forming groups. The low income earners who are the main targets in the programme will get training on how to launch and run startups, raise savings, keep records as well as how to manage their finances. For the illiterate ones, they would get adult education before being introduced to the enterprise incubation programme.

Speaking in Kitengela, Hand In Hand Eastern Africa country director and chief executive Pauline Ngari said that in order to eradicate poverty and create jobs, the unbanked and the marginalised must be prepared through entrepreneurial training.

“There are many opportunities that are yet to be explored by the unbanked and marginalised in the society. Through social mobilisation and entrepreneurship training, many youths and women will be assisted to make baby steps as they grow their small businesses,” said Ms Ngari.

Adding that the initiative is against the traditional model of giving handouts to the impoverished in the society.

“Our programme is geared towards boosting people to create jobs for themselves,” she said.

The two-day workshop held at Kitengela was aimed at training the group leaders  and line government ministries including agriculture, youths and gender and women development funds in Kajiado County.