Sixteen groups in Naivasha have received a total of Sh2.3 million under the eighth phase of the Uwezo Fund to expand their enterprises and improve their livelihoods.

The latest disbursement includes four groups accessing the Fund for the first time, while the remaining beneficiaries are receiving additional financing after demonstrating their ability to utilize and repay previous allocations.

According to Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee Secretary Kezia Mwaura, Naivasha has received more than Sh44 million through the Fund since its establishment in 2014.

Mwaura said 361 new groups had been registered within the constituency, while more than 150 groups were currently revolving the Fund.

She said table banking remained the most common activity among beneficiary groups, followed by agriculture and small businesses. Youth groups, she added, were mainly engaged in transport activities, particularly boda boda operations.

Among the new beneficiaries is 2020 Starters, a 15-member group that has been in existence since 2020 and previously relied on table banking and members’ savings.

Group member Francis Muchoki said the members had accumulated about Sh100,000 through savings and charged 10 per cent interest on loans advanced through their table banking scheme.

Muchoki said the group, which holds regular meetings, would use its Uwezo Fund allocation to strengthen its table banking activities and increase the amount available for members to borrow.

For Bridge of Hope, the latest allocation marks the group’s second time receiving support from the Fund.

The 33-member group previously received Sh50,000, which it used to complete the purchase of a parcel of land. It has now received Sh100,000 in its latest allocation.

Group member Johnson Kimaru said the members planned to use the new funding to construct a hall on their land. The facility will be used for group meetings and hired out for conferences and other functions to generate additional income.

Kimaru said members were contributing towards loan repayment, with individual members signing personal commitments to repay their respective shares.

Another repeat beneficiary, Mahigaini Group, is accessing the Fund for the third time after receiving Sh100,000 in the first phase and Sh200,000 in the second phase.

Evans Mwangi, a member of the group, said it mainly engages in poultry farming and organic agriculture, while also operating a table banking scheme.

Mwangi said the group had now received Sh360,000, the highest allocation among the 16 groups in the latest disbursement. Through the table banking scheme, members can access loans ranging between Sh30,000 and Sh40,000.

Despite the progress made by some groups, Mwaura said loan repayment remained a challenge, with Naivasha’s overall repayment rate currently standing at 42 per cent.

She said 10 per cent of beneficiaries with low repayment rates had not made any payments, while the remaining 90 per cent had made only small payments towards their outstanding loans.

Mwaura urged beneficiaries to honour their repayment obligations, noting that the Uwezo Fund is a revolving facility and that repayments enable other groups to access financing.

She also announced plans to introduce an online registration and application process to make it easier for groups to apply for funding and improve the management and repayment of loans.

The planned digitalisation, she said, is part of the Fund’s broader strategy to move key loan processes, including application, appraisal, disbursement, and repayment, to digital platforms.

Speaking during the disbursement ceremony, Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara commended groups that had performed well and encouraged beneficiaries to use the funds for productive activities.

Kihara acknowledged the economic challenges facing many groups but urged beneficiaries to repay their loans to enable other groups seeking support to benefit from the Fund.

She also encouraged groups to adopt constitutions with clear accountability measures for members who default on their obligations.

The MP further encouraged young people to venture into income-generating activities, including poultry farming, amid limited formal employment opportunities.

She said Uwezo Fund offered beneficiaries a manageable repayment period compared with informal lenders and urged the groups to use the money prudently and invest in activities capable of generating sustainable income.

Uwezo Fund is a revolving government financing programme aimed at expanding access to affordable finance for women, youth, and persons with disabilities while supporting enterprise development at the constituency level.

Since its inception in the 2013/2014 financial year, the Fund has disbursed Sh8.4 billion to 84,921 groups across all 290 constituencies.

The beneficiaries comprise 55,304 women groups, 27,443 youth groups, and 2,174 groups representing persons with disabilities.

By Onyambu Orpah and Erastus Gichohi