Arusha dishes out 624m/- ‘poverty alleviation’ loans to 125 groups

HAZLA OMAR in Arusha

ARUSHA regional authorities have dished out loans amounting to 624m/- to about 125 groups to enable them engage in income generating activities to alleviate poverty.

The authority has also imparted entrepreneurship skills to the groups formed by youth and women. Arusha Regional Commissioner (RC) Mrisho Gambo said here yesterday that the goal of the training was to facilitate self-employment, adding that the Fifth Phase Government was determined to support the unprivileged groups.

Handing over a cheque worth 624 to the groups as first quarter of the loans for 2016/2017, the RC urged women and youth to use the fund for the intended activities to benefit them.
“The loans are issued for entrepreneurship development activities which enabled you to qualify for the scheme. It’s my expectation that the fund will enable you to engage in income generating activities,” he said.
Mr Gambo noted that after handing over 200 motorcycles to young people, who are ‘bodaboda’ operators, the next group will be women who will benefit from the fund returned by the motorcyclists.
He directed the Arusha Regional Administrative Secretary to form a special team to investigate the funds’ disbursement for the past three years to establish whether the groups that benefitted from the scheme returned the loans.
Arusha Mayor Kalist Bukhay, who was present during the cheque handingover ceremony, said any group that will not return the loans would not receive the loans in the second phase and that those who will perform well in business will receive increased loan amounts.