The government through the State Department of Youth Affairs has disbursed over 7 million to Belgut Sub-County youth groups to spur entrepreneurship and economic growth in the current financial year.
The forty-one groups drawn from different wards in the Sub-County notably Waldai, Kabianga, Kapsuser, Seretut/Cheptororiet and Chaik received cheques of between Shs 100,000 to Shs 500,000.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony held at Kipsolu secondary school grounds the area MP Nelson Koech urged youths, persons living with disabilities (PLWDs), and women to borrow from the various government empowerment funds to improve their socio-economic wellbeing.
The legislator who graced the disbursement of Uwezo fund cheques where the 41 groups benefitted from the Shs 7.3 million kitty applauded the groups that were able to refund the loans given earlier and urged the rest to repay to the revolving kitty so that other groups could benefit from the noble initiative.
“I salute the groups who have benefitted and have a good track record and I appeal to new beneficiaries to refund the money after the six months grace periods for smooth processing of the fund and distribution to others,” said MP Koech.
Hon. Koech called on youths to form self-help groups and seek government funds as they were intended to enable them put up sustainable income-generating projects which will empower them economically and thus improve their living standards.
The Belgut Uwezo fund manager Jonah Rono revealed that since the inception of the Uwezo Fund in 2014, 210 groups in Belgut Sub-County had benefitted from the government fund with a total of Sh 21 million being disbursed to self-help groups where a sizeable number of them invested their monies to table banking while a few going into agriculture ventures.
“The loan is zero percent and the minimum the group can receive is Sh 100,000 with the maximum at Sh 500,000. A group benefitting from the government funds receives a grace period of six months and the repayment period is of 24 months. I call upon youths to visit their Sub-County offices and get to learn of various government opportunities available to them,” said Rono.
In an interview with KNA Treasurer of Koolu self-help group, Esther Teuituk said the group was founded in 2013 and has 12 members and had now received Sh 500,000 after repaying their third loan of Sh 300,000 which they borrowed in 2020.
“I am happy that our group has received Sh 500,000 and we are committed to repaying it as fast as possible. Our initial loan in 2014 was Sh 150,000 and we started off by undertaking table banking then we went on to invest in poultry farming and we are serious at expanding our agricultural venture using this third Uwezo fund monies,” said Teuituk.
By Sarah Njagi
