BY ERIC SINDABI
Supporting colleagues’ morally, socially and financially is a noble gesture. This was observed during the colourful 20th Annual General Meeting of the Egerton University Library Staff Welfare Association held on December 8th 2023 at the CoELIB Conference Hall.
Patron of the welfare, the University Librarian, Mrs Janegrace Kinyanjui urged the members to consider uplifting the welfare’s objectives to a higher level through ample savings and sincere commitment. She noted that it was important for the members to continue supporting each other because as colleagues, they are like a family.
The patron further encouraged the welfare members to cultivate an avid savings and borrowing culture through the welfare’s savings and credit scheme to uplift the financial sustainability and liquidity status of the welfare. She however cautioned the members against defaulting borrowed money because it was unethical to refuse to repay borrowed money from anyone or public entity.
The Chairperson of the group Mr.George Kira while thanking the patron and members for their continued support for the continuity of the welfare, observed that the activities of the welfare had drastically been affected by the unprecedented financial challenges that gripped members and the University since the year 2020 Covid 19 pandemic devastative effects.
“This peculiarity devastated members and interfered with their financial obligations including contributing to their savings scheme and loans repayments to the welfare’’ said the Chairperson adding that the welfare management discussed with the affected members on a personal level where some pledged to differ their savings contributions and loan repayments.
Thirty members out of the current fifty two graced the occasion while the occasion was also used to host a send-off party to four members who recently retired from the University. Egerton University Staff Welfare Association was mooted in the year 2003 as a social welfare group. Its objectives include offering moral and social support to members while engaging in small scale savings, credit and investment activities.
Members come together to support sick or bereaved members morally and financially and also support and encouragement to members holding social functions like graduation, marriage, ‘house-warming’ and other individual ceremonies. The welfare conducts its financial operations through a savings account at the Egerton University Savings and Credit Cooperation.
