Women, youth groups and fisherfolk in Seme Constituency have received grants and income-generating equipment under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has urged beneficiaries to invest the support wisely.
The grants and equipment, including boats and power saws, were distributed during a ceremony at Asat Beach on Tuesday.
The initiative is intended to improve livelihoods and support economic activities in the lakeside constituency.
NGAAF Acting Chief Executive Officer Grace Wasike said the fund had allocated Sh82 million to Kisumu County during the current financial year to support education, economic empowerment, development projects and emergency response programmes.
She said NGAAF targets women, persons with disabilities, children, older people and other vulnerable groups through initiatives designed to improve their social and economic wellbeing.
“We educate, we invest, we build, we support and we respond during emergencies. Above all, we restore hope to the community,” Wasike said.
She said the fund was also constructing a Gender-Based Violence Recovery Centre in Muhoroni, which is expected to be completed within the next two years.
Wasike urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the grants and equipment by keeping proper financial records and working together to strengthen their groups.
Speaking at the event, Odinga said empowering communities through skills, equipment and financial support offered more lasting benefits than direct handouts.
“It is better for you to be empowered than to be given handouts. This empowerment is what will support families and improve livelihoods,” she said.
She said all groups receiving NGAAF grants undergo financial literacy training before receiving funding to help them manage their businesses effectively.
According to Odinga, between 180 and 200 groups in Seme Constituency have so far benefited from NGAAF grants and equipment, with many expanding their table banking initiatives and small businesses.
She also welcomed the national government’s ongoing modernisation of Asat Beach, saying the project would improve fish landing facilities and create more economic opportunities for local fishing communities.
Odinga said proposed reforms under the Fisheries Bill would formalise the operations of Beach Management Units, address concerns over double taxation by the national and county governments, and strengthen security on Lake Victoria.
The event was attended by local leaders, community groups and beneficiaries of the NGAAF programme.
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