MARTHA MBUTHIA : I HAVE HONED MY SKILLS IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Martha Mbuthia teaches at Karura Primary School in Kiambu County. She joined Mentor Sacco in 2022 immediately after being employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). “Mentor Sacco always supports me whenever I am in financial need,” said Naomi during the members’ information day (MID) at Kikuyu Township Primary School in Kiambu County. “I passionately urge those who have not yet joined the Sacco to do so; they will reap a lot of benefits,” she added.
Martha thanked the Sacco’s management for successfully organizing the MID at Kikuyu Township Primary School whose turnout was high. “I have benefited a lot from the presentations that were made in today’s MID,” she said adding that she is now well equipped to manage her financial resources prudently.
JUSTUS KETER : MENTOR SACCO HAS HELPED ME TO DIVERSIFY MY INCOME
Justus Keter, a teacher at Kikuyu Township Primary School joined Mentor Sacco in 2023. “Early this year [2024] I qualified for a loan which I invested in a real estate project in my rural home. This has given me a new income stream,” he happily shared. Keter further observed that the loan’s processing process was very short and as a customer, he got a memorable experience.
After attending the MID, Keter said that he had learnt how to diversify his investment and to channel all his income through Mentor Sacco so that he can qualify for a bigger loan once appraised. “I will now plan on how to supplement my salary with income from other investments,” he said adding that the 2024 Mentor Sacco members’ information days theme – ‘ Empowering members to add value to their lives through prudent financial management’ – was very appropriate. “I really thank Mentor Sacco because of widely sharing information with its members hence enabling them to make well informed decisions,” he ended.
JOSEPH WAWERU EQUIPPED WITH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Joseph Waweru is a teacher at Milimani Primary school in Nairobi county. He became a member of Mentor Sacco in 2019. His best experience with the Sacco is when it financed him to complete a real estate project in his rural area. “It was a very challenging situation since I was in the final stages of that project, but unfortunately, I had run short of funds,” he explained. “I approached Mentor Sacco and within twenty four hours, a loan to complete the project had been processed for me,” he added. Currently, the project is generating income which he is channeling through Mentor Sacco.
From his share capital and ordinary deposits with the Sacco, Waweru earns handsome dividends and interest every year. “ Since I am still young, I want to grow my savings with the Sacco as I strive to secure my future,” he added. Further, he said that he uses the Sacco’s mobile banking platform to conveniently access its products and services.
Waweru thanked the Sacco’s management for organizing members’ information days with resourceful facilitators every year. “Today, I have equipped myself with skills to manage my financial resources prudently, thanks to my Sacco,” he ended.
BOORDON LIHANDA: MAKING WISE INVESTMENT DECISIONS
Boordon Lihanda teaches at Muguga Green Primary School in Nairobi county. Disciplined in savings, Lihanda joined Mentor Sacco in 2023. So far, he has got one loan from the Sacco. “ I used my first loan to purchase a piece of land in Bungoma County,” he said. “ My goal is to accumulate a lot of savings with the Sacco before I retire,” said the young teacher.
Lihanda grows crops like maize and beans in the piece of land that Mentor Sacco financed him to purchase, which he sells for a good profit. “ I wish to thank Mentor Sacco for educating me on how to save, borrow and make wise investment decisions,” he said on the sidelines of the members information day at Kikuyu Township Primary School.
ELIJAH THUO: YOUNG, AMBITIOUS AND TALENTED
Calm and collected, Elijah Thuo teaches at North Highridge Primary, sixth Parklands Avenue in Nairobi county. “ Before I joined Mentor Sacco in 2023, I conducted a comprehensive research in Kenya’s financial industry and I found out that savings and credit co-operative societies ( Saccos) are very ideal vehicles for investments,” he said. “ I then narrowed down my research to the leading Saccos in Kenya, and I picked Mentor,” he added.
That decision was wise. “ The Sacco has fully financed my studies at the Kenya Institute of Special Education ( KISE),” he said. “ I also earned dividends on my share capital and interest on my ordinary deposits at the end of the Sacco’s 2023 financial year,” he added.
Thuo is planning to purchase a plot and put up a residential house in the next six years. “ To achieve that goal, I will religiously save with my Sacco every month so that I can access a reasonable loan,” he optimistically said. He added that there are five teachers at
North Highridge Primary School who are members of Mentors and hence getting guarantors when one is need of a loan is not a challenge.
