The Machakos County Women Representative, Joyce Kamene Kasimbi on Monday asked women groups in the county to form an umbrella body to enable them speak in one voice on issues affecting them.
With an umbrella body, she noted, the groups which would also include Community Based Organizations (CBOs) would be able to articulate their needs collectively which is better than when they speak as small fragmented units.
The Women Rep said the government had set aside lots of funds to help the vulnerable in the society particularly women in the grassroots, but noted that only those who were organized and met the set requirements would benefit.
She at same time, asked them to ensure that their groups had at least thirty members to be able to benefit from the fund which is administered under her office.
“The government has given out these funds for women groups but we are not going to give them out to briefcase groups,” she stressed when she met various women groups benefiting from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) at Metuma Primary School in Ngelani, Kathiani Sub-County of Machakos County.
Kasimbi also cautioned members of the groups to be wary of conmen who demanded bribes from them as a condition to giving them the NGAAF funding, saying that the fund was set up by the government to benefit vulnerable groups.
She announced that her office has established a hotline through which they could report such conmen when they make such demands.
On youth, the Women Rep urged parents to mentor their youth into responsible people as one way of avoiding rising cases of suicides and lawlessness witnessed recently across the country.
By Justus Keesi
