How to Apply For Uwezo Fund in Kenya

Uwezo Fund is a Government empowerment Fund that was operationalized through The Public Finance Management (Uwezo Fund), Regulations in 2014. The Fund was established to address the socio-economic empowerment of women, youth and persons with disabilities through expansion of access to finance to facilitate initiation and expansion of their enterprises. Further, the Fund provides capacity enhancement towards building strong and sustainable enterprises across the constituencies. Through this the Fund envisions an equitable social-economic transformation of youth, women and persons with disabilities.

The Fund is revolving in nature and its operations are based in the constituencies. The Objectives of the Fund are;

1. To expand access to finances for the youth, women and persons with disabilities at the constituency level for businesses and enterprises development;
2. To generate gainful self- employment for the youth and women; and
3. To model an alternative framework in funding community driven development initiatives.

Step 1: Ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria above. Step 2: Fill in an application form (available from the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee office,CDF Offices or download form from.

Apply In-Person

Step 1: Ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria.

• The eligibility criteria is as follows;

For a group

1. Is registered with the department of social services, Cooperatives or the Registrar of Societies
2. Has members aged between 18 and 35 years whereas the women’s groups shall be made up of women aged eighteen years and above
3. Is based and operational at the constituency it seeks to make an application for consideration
4. Operates a table banking structure or any other group fund structure where members make monthly contributions according to the groups’ internal guidelines (evidence of monthly contributions shall be a requirement);
5. Hold a bank account in the name of the group.

For an institution

1. Is a registered entity
2. Has listed youth and women groups within it.

Step 2: Make the Application.

• Fill in an application form so as to make the application.
• This forms are available from the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee office, CDF Offices or you can download Uwezo Fund Loan Application Form from the Uwezo Fund Website
• This form is to be completed in Triplicate (original to be sent to Constituency Uwezo Fund Committee, a copy for the group and a processed copy to be sent to the National Secretariat.

Step 3: Submission of Application Form

• Submit the duly filled application form (in duplicate) together with relevant documents to the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee Office for processing.
• The Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee will vet the applications to determine their approval.

Step 4: Await Notification from the Committee

• Successful applicants will receive notification from the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee.
• This is followed by a group training for Capacity Building Programme, after which they will be given training certificates.
• After the training the funds will be released to the applicant’s bank accounts.

Eligible Amount

1. For administration of the Fund:-
   • The access by eligible groups of the Fund, shall be on a first come first served basis, subject to assessment and approval of the loan, provided that the Committee shall ensure equitable distribution of funds in the wards
   • Eligible qualifying amounts for a group shall be a minimum of fifty thousand 50,000) and a maximum of five hundred thousand (500,000) shillings at any one time.
2. In determining the total amount a group is eligible to receive, the following criteria shall be applied:-
   • The length of time the group has been in existence
   • The total amount contributed by the group
   • The current status of contribution and
   • The proposed business plan for the loan applied

NBThe eligible amount shall be three times the group savings BUT it shall not be:-

ADVERTISEMENT

• Below Kshs. 50,000 (Minimum),
• More than the amount applied for in the application form and
• More than Kshs. 500,000 (Maximum)

Required Documents

1. A duly filled in application form
2. A signed guarantee form executed by each member of the group individually committing to repay the loan requested by the group.
3. Copy of registration certificate from the department of social services, Cooperatives
4. Registrar of Societies certificate
5. Duly signed list of members with ID and telephone numbers
6. Evidence that group/institution is based and operational at the constituency it seeks to apply for funding.
7. Evidence table banking structure or any other group fund structure where members make monthly contributions according to the groups’ internal guidelines (evidence of monthly contributions shall be a requirement),
8. Evidence on the length of time the group has been in existence.
9. Evidence on the total amount contributed by the group
10. Evidence of the current status of contribution; and
11. Bank account statement in the name of the group.
12. Evidence of table banking or any other group savings structure
13. Proposed business plan
14. Groups will be required to sign an agreement with the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee on the terms of the loan repayment prior to release of funds.

Office Locations & Contacts

Uwezo Fund Head Office
Lonrho House, 16th Floor, Standard St.
P. O. Box 42009 – 00100, Nairobi
HOTLINE: 0776 154 210
COMPLAINTS: 0776 154 210
GENERAL LINE: 0776 154 204
Email: info@uwezo.go.ke
Email: ceo@uwezo.go.ke
Email: complaints@uwezo.go.ke
Email: programmes@uwezo.go.ke
Email: hr@uwezo.go.ke
Website: Uwezo Fund Website

Ads by Google

Eligibility

• Applicants shall qualify for Fund loan application if

For a group

1. Is registered with the department of social services, Cooperatives or the Registrar of Societies
2. Has members aged between 18 and 35 years whereas the women’s groups shall be made up of women aged eighteen years and above
3. Is based and operational at the constituency it seeks to make an application for consideration
4. Operates a table banking structure or any other group fund structure where members make monthly contributions according to the groups’ internal guidelines (evidence of monthly contributions shall be a requirement);
5. Hold a bank account in the name of the group.

For an institution

1. Is a registered entity
2. Has listed youth and women groups within it.

Fees

• Application is free of charge

Validity

• The validity period is as long as the period of loan repayment.

Documents to Use

• UWEZO Application Form

Instructions

To apply for Uwezo fund,

1. Ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria stated above
2. Fill in an application form (available at the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee office).
3. Submit the application together with the relevant documents to the Constituency Uwezo Fund Management Committee office and await notification from the committee.

Required Information

1. Group name
2. Physical and Postal address
3. Date group was formed
4. Date of registration
5. Registration number/ Serial number
6. Bank name/ Branch/account number/date account was opened
7. Location or group( county, sub-county, location, sub location)
8. Name of chief/ Assistance chief (certification)
9. Telephone number
10. Location of business( Estate, Plot no/street, nearest landmark)
11. Membership profile ( Number of male , female, people with disability)
12. Objectives of the group
13. key activities of the group
14. Challenges of the group
15. Loan purpose
16. Proposed repayment period.
17. Credit history
18. Type of business engagement
19. Stage of business ( start up, expansion)
20. Income and expenses information
21. List of individual members undertaking the business
22. Members guarantee and commitment to loan repayment

Need for the Document

• Uwezo Fund program is aimed at enabling Women, Youth, and Persons with disability access finances to promote business and enterprises at a constituency level.
• Uwezo Fund provides mentorship opportunities to its beneficiaries thus enabling them to take advantage of the 30% government procurement preference via its Capacity Building Programme.

External Links

• How to apply for the Uwezo loan
• UWEZO FAQs

Others

• The Fund, therefore, is an avenue for incubating enterprises, catalysing innovation, promoting industry, creating employment, and growing the economy.
• The Fund is managed by an oversight board at the national level and a Constituency Uwezo Fund Committee (CUFCs) at the constituency level government representatives and members of various Wards