The county government of Kwale is working to change Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) (chamas) into companies as a means to empower youth and women groups.
Speaking at Makongeni in Kinondo wars, Msambweni sub-county, County Executive Member for Social Services and Talent Management (SSTM), Francisca Kilonzo, said the department was working with other departments to conduct training that will finally enable the groups to get registered into companies.
‘‘As a department, we have the mandate to empower women and youth through their groups, we will follow the due processes to help them register into groups,’’ said CEC Kilonzo.
Kilonzo added that the process will also include training group members on how to upload their tender documents into the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) system for validation of winning tenders.
She said the county had set aside 30 percent of the tenders for people living with special needs, women, and youth groups.
‘‘We want to change the system of VSLAs into companies to compete for tenders, the VSLAs have really been performing well but we want to enable them to grow now,’’ she said.
INSHAALAH VSLA group from Makongeni, Kinondo ward in Msambweni Sub-County is one of the groups that has already benefited from the empowerment program.
The group has been conducting farming and has already experienced two seasons of harvest. Khadija Changu, the group’s Chairlady says that they are hoping to benefit from the 30% share of tenders as a women’s group from the county government after being registered.
