Turkana West Integrated Savings & Credit Cooperative Society Launched
Action Africa Help International – Kenya inaugurated Turkana West Integrated Savings and Credit Co-operative Society (TWISACCO) in Turkana County on 29th March 2018.
Turkana County Commissioner of Co-operatives, Mr Bernard, AAHI area Manager, Jacob Nyawarti and Turkana County Government Minister in charge of Trade, Youth affairs and sports attended the event in order to personally handover the Sacco’s registration certificate and acknowledge AAH-I’s dedicated support to Turkana’s community.
Turkana County Commissioner of cooperatives handing over the registration certificate to TWISSACO Chairperson Thomas Echapan
Countless households in Kakuma and Kalobeyei (Turkana, Kenya) lack access to affordable and attainable financial services that can improve their livelihood. The financial exclusion suffered by the community makes it even harder for refugees to blend into their new environment, therefore impacting their quality of life and ability to start and manage businesses.
Kenya is the host country of over 480,000 refugees, the majority of them originating from Somalia and South Sudan.
According to the UN Capital Development Fund affordable access to financial services can help forcibly displaced people cope with negative shocks, reduce exposure to risk and stimulate economic activity at community level. Supporting them is key to ensuring their sustainable self-reliance in the host community.
Action Africa Help Kenya’s interventions target the most vulnerable groups through its projects in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, Turkana County. Since 2005, AAH Kenya has been working in partnership with marginalized Kenyan communities living in low income urban and rural settings.
This initiative is in an aim to enhance the resilience of displacement affected populations in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, Turkana West Sub-County. AAH Kenya also held a pre-incorporation training in Kakuma town, Kakuma refugee camp 1-4, Kalobeyei settlement and kalobeyei host community to ensure a total inclusion in the establishment of the SACCO from persons of concern and host community.
At the end of 2015, it was estimated that over 65 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced. This includes 2.1 million refugees and 3.2 million asylum seekers.
The development of the Turkana West integrated Savings and Credit Co-operative society will ensure that its beneficiaries ,being Turkana’s refugees and host community, have easy access to affordable financial credit, therefore boosting enterprise growth and financial self-reliance. With a membership drawn from the refugees and host communities, TWISACCO will provide a platform that fosters integration between different cultures drawn from different countries.
“Action Africa Help International’s spirited endeavours to strengthen Turkana’s refugees and residents peaceful co-existence and economic stability are greatly valued”- Turkana County Government Minister.
“The launch of TWISACCO will not only enable us (refugees) and our host community to benefit from financial credit and freedom but also play an active role in the SACCO’s management. I am privileged and moved by Action Africa Help’s initiative”- Adil Ibrahim, a refugee from Sudan.
The formation of AAH Kenya TWISACCO, under the SPARK (Support for Protection & Assistance of Refugees in Kenya) DFID funded programme is an indication of Action Africa Help International’s commitment to addressing marginalized communities’ challenges through financial inclusion. Action Africa Help International will continue to work with local governments and communities to support and enhance persons of concern’s self-reliance.