K-Rep is committed to poverty alleviation
Kenya Rural Enterprise Programme (K-Rep) is a development organisation whose
mission is to facilitate poverty alleviation and the development process. It's
strategy is to develop systems and institutions which will enable poor people
to organise their lives financially.
Presently, K-Rep's programme activities include micro-financial services and
capacity building, research and evaluation, information dissemination and
consulting services.
K-Reps's micro finance activities comprise credit to Micro and Small
Enterprises (MSE). The organisation advances loans to both individuals and
groups operating small businesses. To qualify for a K-Rep loan, applicants
must, among other conditions, be Kenyans over 18 years of age, a group as well
as its members' businesses must be located within the boundary of a K-Rep Area
office and have a cash collateral equivalent of 10 per cent of the loan amount.
The loan size for first time borrowers is limited to a maximum of KSh30 000
(about US$520). All the loans carry a charge of loan application fee and
interest.
K-Rep contributes towards the development of the micro finance and MSE sector
by providing a wide range of support services. These services are accessible to
individuals and organisations and include capacity building through which it
supports institutions through training and technical assistance.
In its research services, K-Rep aims at widening and deepening the knowledge
and understanding of issues affecting the various sectors of its concern.
Through a wide range of studies, K-Rep aims at enriching the knowledge base as
well as acting as a knowledge broker. Towards this goal, the organisation
welcomes ideas and collaboration from all interested parties. K-Rep's past
studies have included policy and regulatory policy and baseline and needs
assessment surveys.
To effectively play its role of disseminating information, K-Rep has set up an
outlet for dissemination of information known as Arifu Centre. The Centre
provides easy access to books, periodicals, research papers and unpublished
papers. The Centre maintains computerised data base systems on literature,
institutions, projects, experts and a catalogue of publications.
The Centre uses the OECD Macrothesarus system for indexing and the CDS-ISIS
software. Information processing is based on the Anglo-American cataloguing
rules and Dewey Decimal classification system, second edition.
K-Rep also offers consultancy services in a number of areas. These include
design of sustainable client oriented credit schemes, training workshops,
highly participatory and focused where clients learn, plan and review lending
strategies and assisting organisations to assess the needs of potential
beneficiaries before designing and implementing credit schemes.
Contact:
K-Rep Head Offic
P.O. Box 39312
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel 254-02-572422, 718301/2
Fax: 711645
E.Mail:K-rep@arcc.or.ke
AFRICANEWS