Migori County First Lady Hellen Obado feeding his poultry with food at his home in Rapogi,Uriri Sub County

Migori County’s first lady has called on leaders for various women Sacco’s to be transparent in handling money meant for their various groups so that their objectives are achieved.

Mrs. Hellen Obado also asked the women to express inclusivity and equity in the Sacco’s for the benefit of every woman in the county.

“Sacco’s should not be a channel for few individuals to enrich themselves financially. Don’t allow few individual to monopolize these Sacco’s because it is you who will be losing,” Mrs. Obado quipped.

She added, “No one is bigger than the other in those Sacco’s of yours. Let everyone be given equal chance even in holding various leadership positions.”

The governor’s wife also cautioned leaders against mismanaging funds meant for the various Sacco’s and at the same time urged women registered under different Sacco’s to put their leaders on check.

She urged the women to form groups and registered Sacco’s across the county as a way to fight poverty and uplift their livelihoods.

“There is great power in a people that work together towards development. This is why I want women to form many groups and form Sacco’s through which you can access funds. We as leaders are very ready to help you as I have started,” Mrs. Obado said.

The first lady also advised women in their Sacco’s to practice table banking which will allow them borrow through a revolving funds scheme to help them engage in small businesses.

“What you have been practicing is not table banking. Table banking will allow each group member to get dividends at the end of the year apart from borrowing funds which can help you start businesses like selling vegetable as a source of income,” Mrs. Obado explained.

Mrs. Obado said that various groups were charging very high interest rates on the loans lent to its members and she asked the groups to discuss and lower down the interest rates.

“This money is yours and there is no need of charging very high interest rates on your money. This has barred some people from borrowing from their groups. You should therefore sit and discus over the interest rates,” the governor’s wife said.

She was speaking at Ayego centre in Uriri sub-county as she issued the first incubator under her ‘Kuku Nipesa’ initiative to North Kanyamkago ward Women Sacco’s in an exercise that is set to be replicated in other wards in the county.

The area member of county assembly Mr. George Omamba urged women to fully support the initiative as it was meant to improve their livelihoods.

“We are very ready to help you wherever we can and we therefore only pray for your support so that our county develops,” Mr. Omamba said.