MESPT Strengthens County Partnerships to Advance FIYMA Program Implementation

The Micro Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT) is strengthening partnerships with national and county-level institutions to support the effective implementation of the Financial Inclusion for Youth and MSMEs in Agriculture (FIYMA) Program.

As part of these efforts, a MESPT delegation led by Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Amukhoye paid a courtesy call to the Council of Governors (CoG) to explore opportunities for collaboration in advancing the implementation of the FIYMA Program across 28 target counties.

The discussions, led by CoG Director of Programmes Mr. Kizito Wangalwa, focused on strengthening engagement with County Governments and identifying opportunities to enhance the reach and impact of the program. Collaboration with County Governments will be instrumental in aligning FIYMA interventions with local development priorities and driving inclusive economic growth across the targeted agricultural value chains.

Building on this engagement, MESPT and its consortium partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County Government of Kirinyaga to support the implementation of the FIYMA Program in the county.

FIYMA Program is a collaborative initiative implemented by Micro Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT), East Africa Market Development Associates (EAMDA), National Cooperative Business Association – Cooperative League of the USA (NCBA–CLUSA), and Women’s Empowerment Link (WEL) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The program seeks to address barriers that limit access to finance for young women and men participating in agricultural value chains.

Through the partnership with Kirinyaga County, the FIYMA consortium partners will collaborate with the County Government to expand financial inclusion, strengthen youth-led enterprises, and create dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young people and MSMEs. The interventions will focus on priority value chains in the county, including dairy, tomatoes and poultry.

The FIYMA consortium was represented during the MOU signing by Rebecca Amukhoye, CEO of MESPT; Monicah Gachucha of EAMDA; Lydia Omamo of NCBA CLUSA; and Grace Gitau of WEL. The County Government of Kirinyaga was represented by Dr. Gachara, County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Veterinary Services and Fisheries.

The engagements with the Council of Governors and the County Government of Kirinyaga mark important steps towards building strong institutional partnerships for the effective and sustainable delivery of the FIYMA Program across its target counties.