TALKING POINTS BY PROF. WANJIKU KABIRA, CBS, EBS. CHAIRPERSON OF WOMEN ENTERPRISE FUND ADVISORY BOARD DURING MEDIA TRAINING ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28TH AUGUST 2022 IN NAIVASHA.
Principal Secretary, Prof. Collette Suda
UNWOMEN Country Representative – Ann Mutavata
Chairperson UWEZO Fund - Prof. Lusengo
CEO Uwezo Fund – Peter Lengapian
CEO WEF – Eng. Charles Mwirigi
CEO YEDF – Benson Muthendu
CEO NGAAF – Roy Kasaka
Members of various media houses
Members staff present
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure to join you today on this auspicious occasion for media training on the role of the Affirmative Funds. May I sincerely express my gratitude to those who have spared their precious time to witness the start of great journey whose fruits will benefit several generations.
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WEF was established in 2007 to facilitate financial inclusion for women through offering affordable and accessible credit and business support services for women owned MSMEs.
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Women empowerment is not only a key commitment of the Government, but research tell us that it is the pillar of all sustainable development. WEF plays a pivotal role in realizing this important objective, by serving every woman regardless of tribe, religion, or socialization.
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To date, WEF has disbursed affordable loans to beneficiaries as follows, since inception Ksh. 25.16 billion has been disbursed to 132,762 self-help groups benefitting 2,003,047 individual women across the country. WEF boasts of an average loan repayment rate of 98% across the country.
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Additionally, WEF has trained over 1.64 million individual women on entrepreneurship and supported 40,298 women to access markets and linked to larger enterprises.
The Board has endeavored to successfully implement the key issues outlined in the Strategic Plan 2019-2024. At the beginning of the year, we committed to develop efficient and effective service delivery systems for wider reach and increased product uptake; restructure the business model for cost effectiveness and greater impact; reinforce the legal and policy framework of the Fund to ensure long-term impact and sustainability.
New loan products have been launched to expand the product portfolio for the women. These include Chama Plus, Thamini Loan, Business loan, Asset Financing and Kilimo loan.
The Fund has continued to carry out virtual training with the aim of developing resilience and key skills necessary to navigate the Covid-19 challenges as well as pursue strategic alliances to enhance financial inclusion and long-term sustainability.
I celebrate the fact that the Kenyan Government through the Ministry of Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizen Affairs & Special Programme, and the National Treasury recognized the potential of women for economic development of the nation and has continued to support the Fund to realize her mandates through provision of grants for loans.
My Board commits to collaborate with like-minded institutions and more importantly the media on social economic development of women as aligned to WEF mission “to offer accessible and affordable financial and innovative business support services to Kenyan women for transformed livelihoods through resources mobilization, collaborations and partnerships”.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.