The President’s Advisor on Women’s Rights, Hon. Harriette Chiggai launched the “Empower Her” training program in a colorful ceremony at Masinde Muliro University Grounds alongside top Kakamega County officials and Development Partners.
The programme is a game changer for women’s economic empowerment in Kenya, as they make up the majority in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector which contributes 50% of job creations and 30% to the Gross Domestic Product.
Addressing the participants drawn from Kakamega, Vihiga and Bungoma Counties, the President’s Advisor announced the program will soon be rolled out to all 47 Counties in collaboration with development partners.
She said the Government, through “Empower Her”, will impart financial knowledge and business skills to women-led MSMEs to boost their participation in building the country’s economy.
This is in line with the Government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda focus on the MSMEs sector as a key growth driver for achieving the Country’s development blueprint’s objectives. The participation of women in MSMEs boosts income, savings and tax contributions at the family, community and national levels.
Hon. Chiggai noted the Government is determined to address gender disparities by investing in women. Thus, several financial programmes have been developed to support women access affordable credit as well as increase their participation in all economic, social and political decision-making processes. In addition, the Government is expanding the credit guarantee products to allow for more women to borrow.
During the launch, the Advisor was flanked by Kakamega County First Lady Prof. Janet Kassily Barasa and the top management of Absa Bank Kenya, the African Guarantee Fund and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.