FINANCIAL SECURITY IN THE BOTTOM-UP ERA
"Times are hard. I feel the burden of the cost of living!" This is one of the most quoted phrases in several Kenyan households in the recent past, and globally, I bet.
For those who understand financial times and seasons, the reality of even tighter economic times ahead is an elephant every household must prepare to tackle. All factors in the practical world give clear pointers to a looming global economic crisis, and the call to tighten our belts is inevitable. Like every other post-plague era, a post covid world must face the reality of economic recession. Coupled with other activities like high political temperatures, conflict among nations, and uncommon occurrences like floods and earthquakes, to assume that the economy will suddenly change is a mere 'phantasmagoria' as PLO Lumumba would succinctly put it.
Surgical doctors like to say that extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures. Such are those times. We either sit and perish in an economic collapse or rise and begin where the wise people normally begin; to learn everything that it takes for one to thrive financially in the middle of this crisis.
Seventy percent of Kenyan economic gurus agree that the fight to remain financially healthy is achievable if we go tribal on this matter. As a matter of fact, after the 2022 general election, many communities, especially the Luo community gathered and made a solemn call to the people, "We are on our own, we either gather, focus and stand, or scatter and perish. We must find a homely umbrella to take cover in the war
of looming economic shutdown." By the way, do you know that the national debt burden has long hit an unsustainable limit?
In my research on how smart Kenyan entrepreneurs and innovators are creating ideas to crack the poverty code and empower the masses to make wealth, I was particularly impressed by one rare gem in the entrepreneurship world, Dr. Ojijo Ogilo, a man whose success I have intended to replicate back in my Nyakach village.
According to Dr. Ojijo, today's entrepreneurs must gather their networks and invest in Saccos back at home to secure our community's economic health. When he got tired of staring at the looming ugly face of poverty in Nyamasaria in Kisumu county, Dr. Ojijo rushed to the village, and like Gideon, he gathered a few educated, energetic, zealous, and brave young people, a team to give a blow back at the face of poverty in the hood of Nyamasaria. Together they formed SIROWA SACCO, a community financial pillar just as the name suggests. I was particularly impressed by how this genius man wins investors from far and wide to invest in commodities like maize that everyone is currently in dire need of right from the community level. Investors channel in finances to purchase maize in large quantities. The maize is stocked in the Sacco's galleries where local businessmen and women get it to sell to the final consumer. They then submit the returns back to Sacco and have the profits shared among the investors and the sellers. Creating a job opportunity for residents while enabling investors to also earn a substantial profit from their investments. Part of the profit is also used to feed about 100 needy families, especially the elderly and the vulnerable in the 'nyuka gi rabuon' (porridge and potato) program. Other essential
commodities like honey, omena and basic cereals including rice, beans, and peas are among other commodities stocked in the Sacco's gallery.
The name 'Sirowa' is a Luo community term derived from the words 'siro' (pillar) and 'Marwa' (our). Sirowa, therefore means our pillar, our financial security pillar, and our borrowing, and investment pillar. As the name suggests, there are saving clubs in Sacco that act as pillars for achieving financial freedom. A good example is the Sirowa Sacco School Fees Club where people invest as low as Ksh. 100 days to earn Ksh. 55,000 in just twelve months. Alternatively one can save Ksh. 100 daily and earn Ksh 15,000 in three months. Those in the diaspora are not behind but are covered in the Sirowa Sacco Diaspora club where one saves as little as USD 10 daily to earn USD 1,500 in three months. The list goes on. Mothers are also well covered in Sirowa Sacco Mother's Union Club where one saves Ksh. 1,400 weekly for a return of Ksh. 100,000 in 12 months, PLUS NHIF cover and funeral expense cover for 12 months.
This Sacco, located at the heart of Nyamasaria, behind the famous Black Pearl Lounge has indeed caused an economic reawakening in Kisumu. Once a forgotten place, whose life was revived by the coming of Black Pearl Lounge, Nyamasaria now seems to be slowly turning into a 24-hour economy. Movements of Tuk Tuks, boda bodas, and trucks in and out of the Sacco, transporting commodities to markets have brought a lot of life to the former Catholic Father's residence which now houses the Sacco. It is only a matter of time before Sirowa sacco transforms Nyamasaria into a land flowing with milk and honey.
As he rushed back to take care of office duties, these were Dr. Ojijo's final words. "The time is now for everyone in Kisumu to rush and be part of a convenient and trusted Sacco for their financial security. At Sirowa Sacco, we have made the operation as simple as possible to accommodate the boda boda operator, the cereal seller, and the small shop owner at Nyamasaria. We have also made the operation as sophisticated as possible to accommodate the great members of this community living abroad to be able to have a part in this community's economic reawakening call."
Welcome to Sirowa Sacco (Our Pillar)
Register here:
https://sirowa.coop/registration.html
Visit our website:
Join our Whatsapp group
https://sirowa.coop/registration.html
Join our Diaspora Club Whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/HtiLGCNKWMoG9NlTvsFgRa
Comments
Post a Comment