Nairobi, April 17 -- Women often find themselves marginalised from formal banking systems due to financial and cultural barriers. This has, over time, hindered their financial inclusion, making them among the poorest groups of people in Kenya.

It is for this reason that the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) was established in 2008. Last year alone, the government allocated Sh182.8 million to the fund to increase access to affordable credit to women.

Ruth Randa, a manager at the fund explains why the fund is specifically geared towards women.

"Discriminatory lending practices such as higher interest rates or lower loan amounts offered to women compared to men, prevent women from accessing credit from banks. There are also cultural norms and g...