More than 200 traders affected by recent floods within the old Suna Marindi Market have benefited from a Sh5.7 million donation from the area Women Representative, Ms Fatuma Mohammed.
The donation came from money raised early last month through a major harambee to assist the traders restock their businesses after the market was hit by the ravaging floods, destroying property worth millions of shillings.
Disbursing the money herself yesterday within the market precincts, Ms Fatuma ensured that all the cash was divided among all the affected traders to ensure that every individual who suffered losses received financial help to rebuild and revive his or her business.
“This is the money we raised through a funds drive held a month ago and attended by several leaders, including Treasury CS Mbadi. Today I want to disburse it directly to organized trader groups to ensure equitable and transparent sharing among all affected members,” she told the traders.
Ms Fatuma explained that the intervention was to revive the economy of Migori town by boosting those businesses run by the flood-hit traders since most of them had not insured their businesses.
The women rep said they sympathized with the affected traders many of whom could not get loans easily from banks and other financial institutions because of not insuring their businesses.
The traders have since been relocated to the new Suna Marindi Market, whose construction is still ongoing.
Ms Mohammed noted that the national government, through the Ministry of Housing, would continue to seek funds to complete the market which is now 85 percent complete.
She urged the beneficiaries to use the funds prudently by restocking their businesses and avoiding diverting the money to other less important activities. “Use these funds prudently and for the purpose of reviving your businesses, do not spend this money in bars and organizing birthday parties,” she cautioned.
The lawmaker also used the occasion to advise parents to take a keen interest at their children’s character development, citing the increase in teenage and new HIV infections among the youths in Migori County.
The legislator challenged the parents to strike a balance between economic pursuits and parenting citing increased teenage pregnancies and increased new HIV infection rates amongst the youth in Migori County.
“I am concerned that Migori County is experiencing an alarming increase in the percentage of teenage pregnancies and new HIV infections amongst our youth. I want to call upon parents to take their responsibility of monitor their children’s moral growth seriously in order to make these youngsters good people within our society,” she remarked.
She especially asked traders who are engaged in business activities that keep them away from home for long hours to find good times of interacting more with their children on matters moral growth, adding that it was the only way to make the youth also know God.
by Beryl Akinyi and Faith Opar
