The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) on Saturday gave 56 self-help groups in Tana River County cash and business kits to the tune of Sh4.3 million to boost their economic enterprises.
The beneficiaries included women and youth groups, persons with disabilities and flood victims, according to Tana River County Woman Representative Amina Dika, who is the patron of the fund in the county.
Ms Dika, who was flanked by NGAAF Chairman Roy Kisaka, presented cheques worth Sh4.1 million and business equipment worth about Sh200,000 to the groups in the presence of Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa and fellow women representatives Jane Kagiri (Kiambu), Fatuma Jeho (Wajir), Mumina Golo (Isiolo) and Umulkheir Kassim (Mandera).
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana, former Tana River Governor Hussein Dado and Tana River County Commissioner David Kosgei and several Members of County Assembly (MCAs) also attended the function that coincided with the launch of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) registration campaign in the county.
Ms Dika said the programme was aimed at empowering the groups economically by providing employment and business opportunities to vulnerable groups. Forty-one groups received Sh100,000 each while the others received equipment such as tents, plastic seats and utensils for hire among others.
NGAAF Board Chairman Roy Kisaka noted that Tana River County gets a small allocation from the fund since it has only three constituencies as opposed to other counties with many constituencies.
The NGAAF funds are given per constituency and since Tana River County has only three constituencies, the amount it receives per year is very small,” he noted.
He however lauded Ms Dika and the NGAAF board in the county for using the meagre resources to make a difference in the lives of residents, adding that Tana River was a good example of how the affirmative action fund should be used.
Kagiri, Jeho, Golo and Kassim lauded Ms Dika for her efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable groups in the county, noting that they had taken note of the achievements with a view to implementing the same in their respective counties.
By Emmanuel Masha
