50 women benefit from Mandera Woman Rep's Sh1m grant

Mandera County Woman Representative Umulkher Kassim (right) donates cash to one of her fodder grant beneficiaries. [Ibrahim Adan Ali, Standard]

50 women who are members of fodder seller groups in Mandera have a reason to smile after they received a Sh1 million grant.

According to Mandera County Woman Representative Umulkher Kassim, the grant is drawn from her personal initiative where each woman in the group will receive Sh20,000.

Kassim said the cash - distributed on the spot - was meant to boost small-scale businesses run by fodder seller groups.

"Every member of the fifty women group should receive Kshs 20, 000 out of the one million shillings grant and use the money to improve their fodder businesses," said Kassim

The Woman Rep said women's empowerment through business is key.

"Boosting the life of a single woman is lifting the entire family as every member of that household eats from the sweat of that single lady" boasted the county MP

Hawa Rashid Mohamed, a beneficiary of the grant, said the money was a relief as she has struggled for years to raise capital to boost her fodder business.

Mohamed said she was on the verge of closing it down as all her stock was in debt and never had any capital to continue with the business

"I was almost closing down because of lack of capital, but, now that I have got a grant of Sh20,000, I promise this will produce a continuous successful occupation," said Mohamed.

Another businesswoman, Rahma Issudin, who has been selling fodder for 26 years, appealed for more support as she wanted to expand her business.

"As much as this twenty thousand shillings will raise up my small-scale business by a big stride I would wish for more support because I want to expand it and employ our girls" said Issudin.

Kenya Red Cross Society coordinator Mustafa Adan, on his part, lauded the efforts of the Woman Rep saying the grant was offered at the right time to mitigate the effects of flood in the county.

Adan urged the MP to extend a helping hand to evacuees affected by floods during the rainy season.

"I would appreciate the endeavour of supporting the fodder sellers, and I also appeal to your office to stand up for the families affected by floods after River Daua burst its banks," said Adan.