MENTOR SACCO MEMBERS’ INFORMATION DAYS TESTIMONIALS

THREE-DECADE WALK BY CHARLES KAMANDE BEARS FRUITS

Charles Kamande, the head teacher of Kenyatta University (KU) Primary School has been an active member of Mentor Sacco for the last thirty years and still going strong! Of course he would not have stayed this long were it not for the benefits he has reaped from the Sacco.

By and large, it   has helped him improve his lot in life. Apart from educating his children and building a home, Mentor Sacco has enabled him to make investments which have improved his financial status.

Being a longtime member, he said that he has witnessed the growth of the Sacco and its transformation to the   tier one status that it enjoys   today. “The Sacco has grown in leaps and bounds, becoming more efficient and very friendly as well as professional,” he notes.

Commenting about the MID, Kamande said it was very exceptional since there was a lot of learning especially on financial management. “Today’s members’ information day was conducted professionally   and in an in-depth manner,” he said expressing gratitude towards the Sacco for organizing the event.

He appealed   to anyone who has not yet joined Mentor Sacco to do so as soon as possible. “Mentor Sacco accommodates everyone and the interest rates on its loans are friendly, all you need are guarantors and some savings,” he opined. He wished the management well as they endeavour to grow the Sacco and serve members.

VIVIAN NJERI: MENTOR SACCO IS THE BEST

Vivian Njeri Kang’ethe, a high school teacher at Kamahuha Girls joined Mentor Sacco back in 2010 just before being employed on permanent and pensionable terms by the Teachers service Commission (TSC).   “As an employee of the school’s board, I started buying shares in the Sacco,” she proudly recalls.

After acquiring the minimum paid up share capital    and tasting the sweet dividends, she continued saving every month. The experience helped her develop the discipline to save when eventually she was employed by TSC. Since then she has grown financially.

What particularly makes her happy is that she can access emergency loans quickly. “Whenever I am in need of some money, it is just a matter of hours before my Sacco disburses the same,” she stated. As a parent, with the financial help from mentor Sacco, she has managed to educate her children and also bought a piece of land.

Seeing the advantages of being in Mentor Sacco, Njeri has introduced the Sacco to women who are in various self-help groups (chamas) with her.

“Mentor Sacco is the best and it is open to everybody; it doesn’t matter what your status in life is. We don’t just benefit from loans, but also dividends at the end of the year,” she added.  Finally, she acknowledged that the members’   information days are resourceful.

MENTOR SACCOS HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE WHOLESOMELY, SAYS LUCAS KINYANJUI

Mr. Lucas Kinyanjui,   a very loyal   and longtime member of Mentor has seen a transformation in his life courtesy of the   Sacco. Heading towards retirement in two years, he says his life took a new trajectory when he   joined the Sacco. “As I reflect on my journey with Mentor Sacco, I am happy because of the progress I have made,” he averred noting that he came from a humble background.

Befittingly, courtesy of Mentor Sacco, Mr. Kinyanjui now owns properties that generate for him steady income. What’s more, he has built a home for his family and educated his children. Now free from unnecessary financial   worries, he credited   his success to Mentor Sacco.

He reminisced   that when the Sacco started, it only had a few members who were teachers.  But over the years, it   has grown in leaps and bounds.  Mr. Kinjanjui attributes this growth to Mentor’s exemplary   performance in disbursing loans and creating   products that benefit members.

Commenting about the members’ information days, he said that the events have helped them to acquire a lot of knowledge especially in managing finances. “We have been having very good guest speakers who advise us on a variety of topics like how to handle money, mental wellness and other important issues in life,” he observed as he advocated for the   continuation of these days.

Being a veteran, he advised   young members not to give in to peer pressure, but instead focus on building a strong foundation for their retirement. “I would advise the youth not to spend more than they earn.  They should learn how to handle money wisely and avoid peer pressure.”

PERIS WANJIRU WANJIKU SHARES HER BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY WITH MENTOR SACCO

Peris Wanjiru runs a business. She joined Mentor Sacco in 2016, after being introduced by a staff member of Igikiru Boys High school, who was a member. Her friend   took her to Murang’a town where she promptly bought shares and became a member.

Since 2016, Peris   has been getting loans at friendly terms from the Sacco. “The interest rate offered by our Sacco can’t be compared to the ones of     other lenders; it is way lower,” she said. “I am happy that in Mentor Sacco you are listened to when your business is having challenges,” she added.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, she closed her business. She turned to Mentor Sacco for help where she managed to access   a loan that enabled her business survive, hence protecting her source of livelihood. The business is now stable. Additionally, she observed that the staff members of the Sacco are welcoming and polite.

Through Mentor Sacco’s MID at Kenol, she learnt a number of lessons, one being that she is not supposed to rely on a single source of income. In addition, she learnt the benefit of borrowing from the Sacco as it contributes to its profitability.

EZRON KANYAGO ENJOYS BEING A MEMBER OF MENTOR SACCO

Since he joined Mentor Sacco, Ezron Kanyago has benefitted a lot. Out of his association with the Sacco he has made great   strides in improving his family’s standard of living. Among other things, he has managed to buy land to settle on as well as educate his children to tertiary level.

Currently, one of his children is in college, while the other is in high school. Courtesy of loans from Mentor Sacco he said that he does not face challenges in financing their education.

He further noted   that service delivery in   Mentor Sacco has improved over time. From processes fraught with lots of paper work to online services offered through smart phones at the touch of a button, he said that   he now transacts with ease. For example it takes less than two hours to process a loan which initially took months. He noted   with satisfaction that the transition to digital has spared members time and energy on tedious processes.

As a bread winner of his family, he has been able to meet the needs of both his immediate and extended family. In case of emergencies,   he gets loans from the Sacco. With appreciation, he said that he has learnt a lot about how to save and invest his money wisely from the training  offered by the Sacco.

 Finally, he urged more   people to join Mentor Sacco since it  has a wide variety of products and services. “Mentor Sacco’s products cater for people from all walks of life and as members, we are all equal,” he proudly said.