Karachuonyo MP aspirant Abdul Ramadhan speaks during women sensitisation in Karachuonyo/Robert Omollo
Karachuonyo MP aspirant Abdul Ramadhan has urged men to stop leaving their wives with domestic financial responsibilities after they venture into small-scale businesses.
Ramadhan said his assessment had revealed that many women were left with heavy household expenses, making it difficult for them to realise profits from their businesses.
He said the responsibilities were a major obstacle to the growth and survival of businesses run by women in the area.
Ramadhan, who organised a training session for women traders, said he also wanted to help improve their living standards.
“Most women complain that when they start businesses, their husbands abandon them with most domestic financial responsibilities. The situation leads to the collapse of their businesses,” Ramadhan said.
Karachuonyo MP aspirant Abdul Ramadhan speaks during women sensitisation in Karachuonyo/Robert Omollo
He spoke during the training that brought together more than 600 small-scale female traders in Karachuonyo Constituency.
Ramadhan said women also needed skills and knowledge to run successful businesses.
“We have told them to practice record keeping. They need to separate capital from the money gained as profits,” he said.
He said the training was aimed at helping small-scale women traders overcome challenges affecting their businesses.
Ramadhan urged men not to assign their wives who run small businesses additional domestic financial responsibilities.
“Husbands should not abandon their wives with domestic financial responsibilities. This will cushion the women from expenditure which may kill their businesses,” he said.
The women were also urged to avoid unnecessary expenditure from their businesses.
“For example, buying clothes or household items because a fellow woman has bought one is wrong. Such expenditure made from your business may kill the business,” he said.
Ramadhan urged the traders to live within their means to ensure the survival of their businesses.
He also gave Sh1,000 to each woman trader to cushion them from shylocks who lend money on a daily basis.
“These traders have decried the tribulations they undergo in the hands of shylocks who borrow them money as little as Sh500 which they refund with profit. I have given them the money to improve their stock,” Ramadhan said.
The university don said he was providing the traders with business knowledge as part of his corporate social responsibility efforts to promote economic growth in Karachuonyo.
“Business is a key driver of our economy and it has employed many people. It must be promoted by empowering women who are the majority players,” he said.
Beneficiaries Eunice Omuga, Beatrice Ojwang and Amina Atieno said many women were struggling to achieve stability in their businesses.
Omuga linked the challenges to household responsibilities that force women to spend even their business capital.
“Women in business are abandoned with the responsibilities of buying everything in the house including a spoon. This depletes profit and even capital, leading to collapse of business,” Omuga said.
Ojwang said the knowledge acquired during the training would help them overcome various challenges in running businesses.
“Lack of knowledge on how to differentiate between capital and profit affects our business adversely. This gap has been addressed in this training,” Ojwang said.
Atieno said she had gained knowledge on record keeping that would improve her capacity to run her business.
“I have not been keeping records but what I have learnt will enhance milestones in my business,” Atieno said.
