Kenya

UNDP Kenya joins Equity Bank to promote women in business : 12 May 2008

Women participation in business and access to credit facilities from Equity bank is an empowerment process that will see an overall improvement of women involvement in their own as well as the country's economic and social destiny. The role of women socio- economic and political development in Kenya has been acknowledged. The Country Director for UNDP-Kenya Ms Tomoko Nishimoto (pictured above) launched the fanikisha initiative in Bondo on 12 May 2008. She took the opportunity to explain to the prime minister, the impact of this project to the empowerment of business women in in Bondo. Also pictured is Hon. Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister who attended the event

Click to read newspaper articles on 13 May 2008

1. Nation newspaper

2. Business Daily

3. Standard Newspaper.

The following outcomes are expected from business women in Bondo -
1. Enhanced aspirations of the women of Kenya to move forward and excel in their endeavours.
2. An increased number of women at decision making levels which is resource empowerment.
3. Increased consciousness at the business, government and community level to enhance women empowerment.
4. Increased capacity and motivation of women to take on new and challenging roles at higher levels coupled with zeal to perform satisfactorily.
5. Creation of role models upon which other women will be looking at for benchmarking and progression / growth purposes.

FANIKISHA initiative 24-26 June 2007

The FANIKISHA initiative is a joint effort by UNDP-Kenya and Equity Bank to promote Women Entrepreneurs in the country.UNDP estimates that 53% of rural women and 63% of urban women live below the poverty line. It is also estimated that 85% of businesses in the informal sector and 48% of small and micro-enterprises are owned by women who face the twin challenge of lack of business skills and financing.

Equity Bank will open three new branches in Nairobi to serve women only under a Kenya Shillings 5 billion programme with UNDP. The aim is to increase financial Aid to Women Entrepreneurs within the next 5 years. The Bank says the Funds will be used for medium and long term lending to increase women’s capacity and to expand their businesses. The lending initiative seeks to increase the competitiveness of businesses owned by women. An initial 2,000 business women have been selected for free training in the joint program as organized by UNDP,ILO and UNIDO . Read Newspaper articles below.

Kenya Women Finance Trust support women in Small and Micro Enterprises

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON JUNE 22 2007

1. Click to read Nation Newspaper 1, page 2

Author- Nation correspondent

Mentioned- RR Elizabeth Lwanga is quotes as saying that ‘The kind of opportunity Equity Bank has given to women shows the need to provide equal opportunity between men and women especially to financial services’

Content- Equity Bank will open three new branches in Nairobi to serve women only under a Kenya Shillings 5 billion programme with UNDP .The aim is to increase financial Aid to Women Entrepreneurs within the next 5 years. The Bank says the Funds will be used for medium and long term lending to increase women’s capacity and to expand their businesses.

2. Click to read Standard Newspaper 1, page 2

Author- Washington Gikunju

Mentioned- RR Elizabeth Lwanga is quotes as saying ‘I have no doubt that this programme will be hugely successful and I have even received a call from UNDP headquarters who are interested in spreading the programme to the entire region.

Content- Equity bank rolled out a Kenya shillings -5 billion lending programme to women in a joint plan with UNDP. The lending initiative seeks to increase the competitiveness of businesses owned by women. An initial 2,000 business women have been selected for free training in the joint program as organized by UNDP,ILO and UNIDO.

3. Click to read People Newspaper

Author-Sarah Kamau

Mentioned-RR Elizabeth Lwanga is quotes as saying that ‘The partnership with the Bank was historical with the UN Agency having been one of the institutions that provided equity bank with the seed capital for computerization’

Content-The Equity Bank has entered into partnership with United Nations Development Programme to organize a workshop that will bring together some grassroots business women including Trade Ministers from Liberia, South Africa and other high level officials from African States finance institutions, UN Agencies to discuss the bottlenecks impeding women’s enterprises from being globally competitive.

4. Click to read Kenya Times Newspaper

Author- John Korir

Mentioned-RR Elizabeth Lwanga is quotes as saying that ‘her organization was proud to be associated with Equity Bank because of the success story behind the Institution’

Content-The Equity Bank has signed a pact with UNDP to promote women entrepreneurship through the programme dubbed ‘promoting women in Business and Investment’