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DTB rolls out Zawadi account eyeing women-owned SMEs

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A customer at a Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) ATM. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has rolled out a financial literacy programme and account targeting women-owned businesses in a bid to help them expand their ventures.

The lender’s director sales, Dr Kennedy Nyakomitta, said the training initiative intends to build small and medium enterprises' muscles in financial and human resource management, strategic planning, marketing and communication to enable them do business better, and especially attract the kind of finances they need to expand.

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Through an account dubbed Zawadi, women will be able to access credit through favourable terms to grow their businesses from one stage to the next, even as Diamond Trust Banks works towards growing its customer base.

“The Zawadi account is specifically tailored to enhance financial literacy for women-owned businesses and inculcate necessary skills required to run their businesses effectively to enable them to take advantage of the financial opportunities offered by banks,” said Dr Nyakomitta said yesterday.

Through the programme, customers will also be able to understand and effectively use various financial skills, including personal financial management, budgeting, and investing to scale up their firms.

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The lender has also introduced Chama, a special account for small savings groups, which will enable SMEs that open either of the accounts with DTB to access a credit facility after six-months.

“We have also launched the Chama account to encourage groups and collectives to venture into enterprise development, with the help of DTB. This is in line with our ongoing expansion efforts across the country, as we seek to be more present with our communities,” he added.

Traders will also receive training from DTB on the various financial products and services available to enable them grow their business.

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