At least 26 Women from Maendeleo ya Wanawake in Migori County have benefited from a Sh 2.4 Million water harvesting national project through a partnership from the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF), Maendeleo ya Wanawake and Equity bank.
Women Enterprise Fund official, Bashir Golicha, noted that the Women Enterprise Fund partnered with Maendeleo ya Wanawake, to help Migori women access financial assistance as well as access other economic related projects to uplift their socio economic status.
Golicha said that the water harvesting national project has distributed 50 tanks of 5,000 and 10,000 litres capacity to the women to assist them in water harvesting for irrigation and domestic use.
He said that WEF will continue to support women, especially those that are in formal groups to help address the economic challenges that Kenyan women face, especially in rural areas.
“Global warming has drastically reduced water across the country and with the increased drought in most parts of Northern Kenya, water has a become the precious commodity for both human and animal survival,” noted Golicha
Maendeleo ya Wanawake National Treasurer, Susan Owino, thanked the Women Enterprise Fund for making it possible to empower women across the country.
She said that when women are economically empowered the society gains because women are the home builders.
The Treasurer added that water is life and encouraged women that have not yet joined groups to do so to access funds and improve their lives.
“I am calling upon Migori women to join Maendeleo ya Wanawake and become life members, to be able to access and unlock financial assistance from various association funds like Women Enterprise Funds”, said Susan.
She urged all the stakeholders to spread the gospel of Women Enterprise Fund to help rural women access financial assistance.
Migori County Commissioner, Benson Karani, emphasised that the water tanks will be a significant improvement to the beneficiaries of the project.
Mr Karani said that access to safe water and use is still a challenge in the county and by solving water problems women will be freed to engage in other socio economic activities.
The Administrator called upon women that may have not yet joined groups to do so in order to benefit from the government noble projects.
He added that Women Enterprise Fund will empower women through sustainable projects and literacy financing education to help them invest wisely and be able to access markets as well as exploit emerging opportunities.
Karani acknowledged that so far 46,200 women from 375 groups in Migori have accessed more than Sh4 million Women Enterprise Funds to empower them socioeconomically.
By Geoffrey Makokha
