Some 15,000 people from vulnerable backgrounds across Kenya will receive money to help them start income-generating activities and lift themselves out of poverty.

Under the second phase of the Economic Inclusion Programme, each beneficiary will get seed capital of Sh30,000.

The first phase involved piloting in five counties, where 5,000 people benefited, said Gender and Social Protection Principal Secretary Joseph Motari.

The World Bank-funded project aims to empower economically vulnerable households by helping them find a source of livelihood, Motari said.

The beneficiaries in the pilot programme can now sustain their families, he said in Murang’a.

“I came here for a fact-finding mission to see how the first beneficiaries used the money given to them, and I am impressed by the transformation they have undergone,” said Motari.

“Our aim is to have the programme rolled out in all parts of the country, but we shall be doing it gradually to ensure we reach out to as many people as possible.”

After receiving the money, he said, the beneficiaries will be guided by mentors, who will help them strategise and build up their businesses.