A survey by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) indicates that although the global population is more than 50 percent women, only one percent of them are wealthy.
The UNDP attributes this situation to women’s inaccessibility both to resources such as land and to jobs to secure bank loans.
“Beliefs, traditions, and customs have bestowed rights of land inheritance to men, a reality that has continued to keep a majority of women within the poverty bracket,” says UNDP.
Kenya, like other African countries, is largely patriarchal where most women are denied access to land, which serves as a tangible and valuable asset in securing any long term development loan.
Articles 27 and 40 of the Constitution of Kenya give women equality and freedom from discrimination as well as protection of the right to property.
But according to some constitutional analysts, these legislative regulations are yet to influence the treatment of women in the private sphere.
However, there has always been a desire by women to unchain themselves from the vicious circle of patriarchy.
Deputy President William Ruto’s wife, Rachel, through her Joyful Women Organisation (JOYWO), is among leading lights on the road towards total economic emancipation and empowerment of women in Kenya.
Rachel has visited several parts of the country, urging women to form groups and make use of the new table banking concept in order to boost savings and investments in an effort to empower their lot and eradicate poverty.
The Second Lady has taken table banking concept training to women in Likuyani and Lugari sub counties of Kakamega County.
Speaking to women’s groups from Likuyani Sub County at Sango PAG Church, Rachel observed the Kenyan women will benefit from the interest they pay in form of bonus and dividends.
Rachel reiterated her message and urged women in Kakamega County to shift from merry-go-round to the table banking concept, insisting it was a sure way to increase sources of livelihoods as well as improve
living standards.
She reminded women, including youth, of immense funding opportunities provided by both the national and county governments through the introduction of various programmes in a bid to enable them access business start-up funds at affordable rates.
“However money from programmes such as Women Empowerment and Uwezo Funds or Pesa Mashinani here in Kakamega County cannot be accessed by individuals but through groups,” said Rachel.
“If there is anything I am completely passionate about, it is seeing women and youth empowered economically so that together we can eradicate poverty. Therefore youth and women should form groups so as to benefit from government,” she added.
The deputy president’s wife vowed to traverse the length and breadth of the country, enlightening Kenyan women on the ability of the table banking concept to transform their lives.
“Research has revealed women can be empowered through information, thus my mission to meet Kenyan women, especially in rural areas” noted Rachel who is founder and patron of JOYWO that is currently running table banking activities in at least 43 counties.
She urged women in Kakamega County to engage in livelihood projects such as poultry greenhouse passion fruits, horticulture and open air irrigation.
“JOYWO shall promote and support women in Kakamega to engage in livelihood projects as means of enhancing their household food and income security and increase the percentage of wealthy women, locally and globally,” promised Rachel.
According to Kenya government data, Kakamega County has a poverty rate of over 57 percent, and the majority of the affected are women.
The strategy of table banking involves members meeting monthly at an agreed location and tabling their contributions, which are referred to as shares.
But unlike the conventional practice of taking the collections to the bank, the members share out depending on the number of shares each has and financial need.
Even as women find ways of empowering themselves economically, the Kenyan government, development partners, and other non-state actors still have a lot to do to eliminate the socio-barriers that perpetuate gender discrimination in access to resources.