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{
    "id": 976553,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/976553/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 315,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) James Nyikal",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 434,
        "legal_name": "James Nyikal",
        "slug": "james-nyikal"
    },
    "content": "was to be lending to groups, which is working and has incremental agreements. A group might start with Kshs100,000, the next with Kshs200,000 and they can go up to Kshs1 million. That has worked well and the members are encouraged. The one that probably has not done well is where women would borrow the money as individuals. This was intended to be done through banks. The banks were given Women Enterprise Fund money so that they would lend it at a lower interest rate. What did the banks do? They kept the money and were not keen to give the women the money because they wanted to lend the money at their own rates. So, they were actually lending the Women Enterprise Fund money at commercial rates and making profits. Right now, I am not sure what has happened. But it is important because many women groups once they are active, individuals start to feel that they want to go on their own and borrow money for their businesses. This one has to be encouraged. If it is the banks that discourage it, we should deal with them. The issue that has been raised on the gap of men over 35 years is something that should be addressed. I know that one-third of the members of the groups can be men, but they cannot hold positions. They are really in there but they do not feel it. Regarding the merger, the Women Enterprise Fund has good structures and is doing well. Merging it with funds that are not working will be dangerous. What I think can be merged immediately is the Youth Enterprise Fund and the Uwezo Fund which are both struggling. They should be then re-organised a little better and given some form of structures, even if it is in a concept way. It is only after that, that you can actually see how those two can now be merged with the Women Enterprise Fund. What we need is management and structured financing of the outlet offices."
}