Nyeri: A total of 16 self-help groups from Ruring’u ward have benefitted from an assortment of merchandise from the County Government of Nyeri under the Wezesha Empowerment Programme. The equipment, which includes car washing machines, hair dryers, plastic chairs, and tents, were handed over at the County Hall grounds yesterday at a ceremony presided over by Governor Dr. Mutahi Kahiga.
According to Kenya News Agency, while handing over the merchandise to the groups, Dr. Kahiga urged the beneficiaries to utilize them well to boost their incomes and improve their overall lives. The County boss emphasized the need to empower grassroots units through such assistance, stressing that the Wezesha programme is more than just distributing equipment; it is about restoring dignity and building stronger, more self-reliant communities.
A total of 22 hair dryers, one car washing machine, 18 professional shaving machines, and 15 100-seater tents were handed over during the event. Dr. Kahiga highlighted the administration’s aim to provide people with the tools to generate income, create employment, and strengthen their economic independence. He encouraged the beneficiaries to safeguard and put the equipment to good use, build a strong savings culture, and establish lasting businesses that will benefit their households and communities.
Earlier this week, Dr. Kahiga visited Kamakwa and Mukaro wards in Nyeri Central, where he helped distribute similar merchandise to support local self-help groups. During the function, the County Government donated 600 branded plastic chairs, 100 bodaboda umbrellas, 11 circular sawing machines, 16 parasols, a car washing machine, 35 blow-dryers, four hair dryers, and 18 shaving machines. Dr. Kahiga pledged to continue similar drives in other wards to ensure local entrepreneurs thrive and help address unemployment challenges in rural areas.
The County government, through the Department of Gender, Youth, Sports, and Social Services led by CECM Esther Ndung’u, aims to strengthen existing livelihoods, create new income-generating opportunities, and enable residents to grow their small businesses. The Wezesha Programme targets individuals or registered groups already undertaking income-generating initiatives, aiming to transform such businesses into profit-making enterprises.
Launched in 2018 with an initial budget of Sh 1.5 million, the program has grown into a countywide initiative with funding totaling Sh 72 million by 2025. To qualify for the grant, applicants must be enrolled under a registered self-help group. Successful applicants can benefit from equipment such as car washing machines, salon hair clippers, tents, plastic chairs, video cameras, egg incubators, and welding equipment.
Last year, the County government distributed equipment and assorted machines to 400 self-help groups in all 40 wards under the program. In September 2024, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga stated that the County was committed to empowering local community groups through the Wezesha program as a way of creating wealth among rural dwellers. Kahiga noted that with adequate support, self-help groups could be transformed into income-generating entities that can change the lives of hundreds of unemployed persons in the villages.
