By: Haruna Kuyateh
Women groups in the North Bank Region have yet to settle the D5.5M owed to the Women Enterprise Development Fund.
According the NBR’s Gender Officer, Rose Zahra Gomez, the Gambia government has made the commitment to support the Women Enterprise Development Fund to enhance women empowerment.
Madam Gomez was speaking in the maiden edition of the regional interface between duty bearers and right holders aimed at discussing institutional activities, impact and challenges.
She noted that the Ministry of Gender attaches great importance to bridging the gender gap and promoting gender equality as regards education and access to finance. The idea, she went on, is to enhance effective participation in improving the economic wellbeing of women in business. Madam Gomez noted that her office, which is under the purview of the gender ministry, equips women with financial literacy skills for sustainable entrepreneurship.
She explained that out of the 104 women’s groups that were shortlisted, 80 have benefited from the Women Enterprise Development Fund while 24 selected groups have yet to receive their money. Loan is given to women groups engaged in petty trading, agriculture and animal husbandry.
Madam Gomez was responding to questions during the maiden interface. During the engagement, people expressed the need for the revolving scheme to roll on as it offers crucial help to women in business. She, however, stated that it’s a challenge for the Women’s Enterprise Development Fund to recover D5.5M owed it by the groups. Madam Gomez pointed out that the delay in payment of the loans will negatively impact the scheme and therefore called on recipients to pay to enable more groups to benefit.
NBR governor Lamin Saidykhan stressed that his office and Madam Gomez will have a meeting with defaulting groups to work out a payment plan as soon as possible, noting that the funds are meant to support women in business.