The Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) has entered into a partnership with Family Bank and Kentainer to distribute water tanks to female teachers across Kenya. The initiative aims to address the welfare and economic challenges faced by women teachers, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas of the country. The signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlines plans to distribute 10,000 water tanks this year.
KEWOTA CEO’s Perspective
- Transformative Initiative: Benta Opande, CEO of KEWOTA, describes the acquisition and distribution of water tanks as a transformative initiative to accelerate the welfare and economic well-being of women teachers.
- Water Scarcity Challenge: Opande emphasizes that water scarcity not only impacts teachers’ daily lives but also affects the quality of education and community well-being. The distribution of water tanks directly addresses this challenge.
- Membership and Impact: KEWOTA, with a membership exceeding 90,000 teachers, sees the initiative as contributing to Sustainable Development Goals, including zero hunger, quality education, and clean water and sanitation.
Distribution and Gender Equality
- Targeted Areas: The distribution of water tanks will focus on arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya, where water scarcity is a pressing issue.
- Gender Equality Gap: Opande emphasizes that providing storage facilities will contribute to bridging the gender equality gap, supporting the holistic development of teachers and communities.
Holistic Support for Teachers
- Blue Economy Program: KEWOTA plans to extend support to retired teachers through a Blue Economy program, involving training and assistance in fish farming to boost their economic well-being.
Financial Support from Family Bank
- Loan Facilities: Family Bank, through its Queen Banking product, offers loan facilities of up to Ksh6 million to teachers, payable over 96 months with a 13% interest rate.
- Unsecured Loan Facility: An unsecured loan facility of Ksh2.5 million is available for water tanks, boreholes, and other facilities.
- Empowering Women: Rose Kamene, the manager in charge of Queen Banking at Family Bank, highlights the bank’s commitment to empowering women through financial solutions for their initiatives and ventures.
Quality Assurance from Kentainer
- Quality and After-Sale Services: Kentainer CEO Pratik Patel assures that the firm will ensure the quality of the water tanks and provide after-sale services, allowing teachers to concentrate on providing quality education.
Final Thoughts
The partnership between KEWOTA, Family Bank, and Kentainer signifies a collaborative effort to address challenges faced by female teachers in accessing water in certain regions of Kenya. Beyond the provision of water tanks, the initiative incorporates financial support, training programs, and a focus on gender equality, showcasing a holistic approach to supporting the well-being and development of women teachers.
