County rolls out programme to train women entrepreneurs
Marsabit Governor Ukur Yattani and Ms Sabdiyo Dido the SNV’s Global Manager for Enhancing Opportunities for Women’s Enterprises Programme after signing an agreement to facilitate training of women to thrive in business. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- EOWE Global Manager Sabdiyo Dido said the programme will involve livestock development, training women in business ventures, financing and expansion of existing enterprises.
- SNV will support the women through the Business Advisory Centres that will be set up in the counties.
Marsabit County government and the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) have entered an agreement to support about 50 women organisations in entrepreneurship.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) officially titled “Enhancing Opportunities for Women’s Enterprises Programme” (EOWE) was signed between Governor Ukur Yattani and SNV Acting Country Director Caroline Toroitich.
EOWE Global Manager Sabdiyo Dido said the programme will involve livestock development, training women in business ventures, financing and expansion of existing enterprises.
The programme, financed at a cost of about Sh750 million, is part of the Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (Flow) that targets women in Kenya and Vietnam.
“We are designing new areas of collaboration with SNV to empower our women who have been politically, culturally and socially marginalized for nearly 50 years,” said Mr Yattani.
Speaking during the ceremony, Ms Dido said the programme will help improve women’s economic participation in livestock development.
“We have rolled out this programme in Vietnam where it has been a success. We want to see women being able to play a role in development. Marsabit County becomes the first in the Kenya to commit to the programme which targets at least 12 other arid and semi-arid (Asal) regions,” she said.
Other counties targeted include Isiolo, Machakos, Narok, Baringo, Kitui, Taita Taveta, among others.
“These areas are dry with highly vulnerable livelihoods. SNV will engage the women through cooperatives and associations at the grassroots,” she said.
SNV will support the women through the Business Advisory Centres that will be set up in the counties.
These Centres will serve as a one stop shop for business information where the women be mentored on entrepreneurship.
“We will support at least 50 women cooperative societies in every county with the aim of building their businesses. SNV will assist in training and policy development,” said Sabdiyo.
Editing by Philip Momanyi
