Two organizations in Lamu County, Kenya Youth Business Trust and Sharjah Charity International, have joined forces to offer free dowry to couples in need.
The initiative aims to boost marriages and weddings within the Coast Region, which has seen a decline in recent times. The organizations are providing men unable to raise their dowry with a free gift, along with Ksh50,000 and free shoes for them and their partners.
According to a representative from one of the organizations, the money gift is meant to help the newly married couple kickstart life together. The groom will receive his wedding clothes and shoes, while the bride will receive a gown and shoes.
Additionally, the couple's wedding expenses will be catered for, with the first batch of weddings slated for July 4, 2022. The couple will also receive a stipend of about Ksh50,000 to start their life.
So far, 50 couples have been approved for the first round of weddings from a possible applicant pool of over 65 couples experiencing financial difficulties.
One of the winners expressed his gratitude for the initiative, stating that he was unable to tie the knot after his bride's family requested an expensive dowry. He said, "This project has really helped me a lot because I had no means to raise the dowry. I loved her but I had no means to get the dowry because the demands were too much."
Another beneficiary revealed that he had already invited his family and friends to the event on July 4, as soon as he realised that he had passed the test.
