Kirinyaga Woman Representative, Jane Njeri Maina, has advised the youth and women in the County to form self-help groups and register them, to enable access grants from devolved fund kitties.
Njeri said the Government has many funding opportunities for the groups, but they cannot benefit as individuals since it is meant for the groups.
She said women must register a group of a hundred and youths into 20, to benefit from the grant.
“We are insisting on the registration of the members, to enable them to benefit from the many of the opportunities the government is according, including the upgraded Hustler’s Fund, which will soon be released to groups,” Njeri said.
She said the groups with less than one hundred members, will have to join with another one to attain the stipulated number, in order to qualify for the grants.
Njeri was speaking today at Rukenya in Kirinyaga East Sub-county, when she helped in the distribution of rice and beans, as part of government famine relief efforts to the residents.
She said contrary to some belief that Kirinyaga is a food-sufficient County, some residents were going without food, due to the prevailing drought being experienced in the County.
“All of us have witnessed that many farmers in this region have not had any harvest, after their maize dried up on the farms’ and almost every farmer needs assistance,” she said.
The Woman Rep. said the Office of the Woman Representative receives 2.5 million allocation every Financial Year, which she said is not enough for the needy students.
“This is why we made the decision to support orphans and children with disabilities with the little funding and ensure they also get the opportunity just like the other children,” she said.
She noted that in the past, this category of the children were left out and even when supported, the funding was not enough to retain them in school.
“I am urging the members of the community to give information about families with that category of children, who may not have been aware of the support, to enable them come out and fill the forms for the provision.
Njeri who was an advocate of the High Court before being elected as a Member of Parliament, said she has also taken to empowering the youth and women to benefit from the 30 percent government tendering, set aside for the youth, women and the disabled.
She said the hustlers’ government agenda, is to empower the youth and make them self-reliant.
Njeri said leaders must endeavor to support the women and youths in the County to be empowered and benefit from the many of the opportunities provided by the government.
By Irungu Mwangi
