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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 27646, member: 2262"] Small businesses across Africa want local money to help close the gap between men and women in business financing. These companies believe better funding creates jobs and boosts the economy, especially as money from other countries keeps shrinking. Business leaders argue that every economic plan must include ways for women to succeed financially. Money problems affect how people feel mentally, according to Grace Wachori, who leads African programs at the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. "Many people feel stuck in this country. Women keep asking themselves - how can I make enough money to live?" Wachori said during a Nairobi meeting. She points out that money troubles create a pattern where women make progress through emotional support but later slide back into hard times because cash runs short. Her team wondered if helping with everyday costs might work better. They decided to try something different by supporting both daily needs and teaching saving skills. Beyond just surviving, Wachori wants long-term money power for women. Her group partnered with organizations offering money management classes and small loans to businesses run by women and young people. "We helped them build relationships with banks, borrow small amounts, and work toward standing on their own financially. The results amazed us," she explained during her presentation. Sakwa Masai from Oxfam Kenya agrees. He believes every economic rule must focus on gender issues. Women face major roadblocks in business - they struggle to find startup cash, business connections, and skill-building opportunities. "Men access resources more easily - money, property, and connections that help businesses grow. Women find it harder to make their companies ready for financing, which stops them from expanding," Masai explained to the audience. Masai highlighted how unpaid home work negatively affects women. They spend about three and a half hours more than men each day cooking, cleaning, and caring for family, which limits their chances of making money or running businesses. He wants companies to offer flexible schedules, places for breastfeeding mothers, and paid time off for new parents regardless of gender. James Odede noticed farmers needed better solutions, especially with Chinese fish flooding Kenyan markets. As co-founder of Aquarech, he reshapes fish farming by offering fish feed on credit. Farmers pay after harvest instead of upfront. This approach particularly helps women participate more in agriculture and boosts local production against imports. Financial stress affects emotional health dramatically as people age. Wachori addressed this connection directly: "Young people focus on becoming independent. During middle age, people think about what they'll leave behind and work constantly, often ignoring self-care. Many give their best years to companies without planning for later life." When retirement approaches, money worries can cause deep regret, depression, and physical illness. "Retirement hits like a truck. Suddenly, people realize they have many years ahead but zero plans. This uncertainty creates terrible anxiety," Wachori said. She believes peer support groups, balanced work habits, and mental health care make huge differences. People need help transitioning to new phases of life, connecting to opportunities, and maintaining physical, mental, and financial wellness through every stage. Dr. Mary Nyamongo brings research experience to these discussions. She started at the Kenya Medical Research Institute before studying chronic diseases in 2004. "For years, researchers thought chronic diseases only affected wealthy people with poor eating habits. Later, I discovered these conditions impact everyone regardless of background," she explained. Approaching her 60th birthday, Nyamongo plans a celebration run motivated by her personal experiences caring for family members. "I watched my mother fight chronic illness. My brothers and sisters grew older. My caregiving responsibilities increased. When women reach 50, menopause begins, and bodies change. If parents remain alive, they age significantly. Their health declines. Life becomes harder for everyone involved," she shared from personal experience. Most Kenyans live about 66 years, meaning women in their fifties often care for elderly parents full-time. Government data shows half of older Kenyans depend entirely on family because they lack retirement funds or government support. Women handle three times more caregiving hours than men across the country. "The pressure crushes you. Many women struggle financially during caregiving. Some face their health problems simultaneously. The exhaustion never ends—you arrive at work already tired, take your parents to doctors, and notice your body breaking down," Dr. Nyamongo reflected. Both experts stress that caregiving and aging demand societal responses, not just individual efforts. They recommend expanding retirement systems, creating workplace rules supporting women during menopause, developing programs offering money help and mental health services for caregivers, and building connections between generations. Better financing tools for women businesses combined with addressing these barriers could transform Kenya's economy into something more inclusive and successful for everyone. [/QUOTE]

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