Residents of Meru County’s arid and semi-arid areas have been urged to embrace saving and investment following the launch of a new Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco) aimed at expanding access to affordable credit and improving livelihoods for vulnerable communities.
Maendeleo ya Jamii Sacco chairman Bishop James Gichuru said the Sacco is expected to bridge financial inclusion gaps in Meru’s arid and semi-arid areas by providing accessible financial services to communities that have historically had limited access to formal banking and credit facilities.
He said the Sacco was launched to support small-scale traders, farmers and low-income earners in the county’s ASAL regions, seeks to promote a savings culture while providing members with low-interest loans to grow their businesses.
Speaking during the opening of a satellite office in Ruiri Market, the Sacco Treasurer Bishop Stephen Kaithia challenged residents to abandon hand-to-mouth spending habits and instead build wealth through consistent saving and investment.
“We are calling on the people of Meru to save and invest through this Sacco. God blesses the work of our hands, and what we invest today will benefit not only us but also our children and grandchildren,” Kaithia said.
He encouraged members to purchase shares, saying shareholders would earn dividends while also qualifying for affordable loans to expand their businesses.
“The Bible teaches that a good person leaves an inheritance for their children and grandchildren. Stop living from hand to mouth. Invest, buy shares, earn dividends and access affordable loans to improve your businesses,” he added.
Pastor Jackline Ntinyari, who heads the Sacco’s development programmes, said the institution was established to empower small business owners who often struggle to access financing from conventional lenders.
She urged residents to seize the opportunity by registering as members and using the Sacco’s products to expand their enterprises.
“The only way to grow small businesses is by taking opportunities when they arise. This Sacco has been established to support ordinary traders and transform their livelihoods,” Ntinyari said.
Peter Gitonga, the Sacco’s head of business partnerships, said the institution would also promote table banking as a way of strengthening members’ savings and financial discipline.
He called on church leaders to mobilise their congregants to join the Sacco, saying collective saving would improve household incomes and stimulate economic growth in underserved parts of the county.
Edited by John Majau
