ELLIGNESS WELFARE ASSOCIATION (EWA)

CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE:
We as a people having realized the social economic challenges that
we face, have agreed to come together and solve these challenges as
one.

ARTICLE I: NAME AND REGISTERED OFFICE

a) The group constituted by these rules shall be known as

ELLIGNESS WELFARE ASSOCIATION (EWA)

ARTICLE II: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of Advance group shall be:-
1. To allow member register, save money and thereafter benefit through getting
loans at lower interest rate of 8%
2. To give financial and moral support to members and their families in case of
bereavement.
3. To participate in activities that are geared towards improvement and general
welfare of the members.
4. To advance loans to non-members at an interest rate of 10% to enable the
group generates additional income.
ARTICLE III: REGISTRATION AND MEMBERSHIP
1. Advance group membership shall include members who are active in paying
monthly savings.
2. Upon admission, one's name shall be written in the nominal roll.
3. A member can either be permanent or temporary member. For one to qualify to
be permanent he/she must be introduced and pay non – refundable registration
fees of kshs 00. A temporary member must also be introduced and pay non –
refundable registration fees of ksh.200.
4. Nonmembers are those willing to take a loan from the group but should be
introduced by either permanent or temporary member. After vetting by loan
committee can be granted a loan facility.
5. During our AGM members will be required to pay Khs 200 a month earlier to
be used on it are only permanent members who are allowed to attend group
AGM.
6. Membership ceases on withdrawal or death or upon default, without any
justifiable reason. A member will be given back his/her savings less 10% of the
total savings and outstanding loan balance.
7. The Executive Committee in consultation with the members' general meeting
may discipline a member as may deem necessary, either by censorship,
suspension or expulsion. Benefits accruing from membership to the group shall
remain in abeyance for suspended or expelled member(s).
8. No person shall be admitted to the group unless he/she previously agreed to
abide by the rules and regulations of the group.
ARTICLE IV: ELECTIONS

1. Except as otherwise herein expressly provided, all group officials shall get into
their offices by secret ballot.
2. Members who have been in the group for at least six (6) months continuously
shall be eligible to serve.
3. Every officer of the welfare shall vacate office on the expiry of three (3) years
term, but shall be eligible for re-election.
4. Arising out of misconduct, disaffection or bringing the name of the group into
disrepute, any official of the group may be suspended /expelled from office by a
two -third majority decision of members present. In the event of such an
eventuality, the executive committee shall have powers to appoint any of its
members to act in such office pending the decision of members' general
meeting on whether or not such an officer should be dismissed or reinstated.
The officer shall be accorded the opportunity to defend himself/herself against
the suspension/expulsion before the final verdict is made.
5. In the event of more than half of the officers of the group resigning, dismissed
or otherwise ceasing to be office bearers during their three (3) year term in
office, a Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be summoned to fill the
vacancies so occasioned.
6. An officer's resignation shall be in writing. Replacement of such officer shall be
from registered members of who have been active for at least six(6) months.

ARTICLE V: DESIGNATION OF OFFICERS.

1. THE CHAIRPERSON
The chairperson
a. Shall preside over any other meeting at which he/she will be present.
b. Shall enforce observation of the group constitution
c. Shall perform such duties as by usage and custom pertaining to his/her office.

d. Shall in case of a stalemate in consensus at any meeting subject the matter to a

vote, in case of a tie, he/she shall have addition to his/her normal vote, a casting
vote.

e. Shall be the chief spokesperson of the welfare

f. If for any reason, fails to preside over properly summoned constituted meeting
of the group, the members in attendance shall have the right to appoint the
adhoc chairperson.

2. THE ASSISTANT CHAIRPERSON

a Preside over meetings in the absence of the chairperson.
b Assist the chair in guarding the constitution.
c Shall perform duties assigned by the chair.

3. THE SECRETARY
The secretary shall:
a. Issue notice to all meetings
b. Attend all meetings of the executive committee and record minutes.
c. Prepare the agenda of all meetings.
d. Keep and maintain group's nominal roll.
e. Perform such duties as prescribed by members or the executive committee.
f. Approve minutes of meetings or executive committee.

4. THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY.

a) Write minutes in absence of the secretary
b) Do duties as assigned by the secretary.

5. THE TREASURER
The treasurer shall:
a. Be responsible for the group's funds and be the custodian of the group
bank account.
b) Keep and maintain all the necessary books of account.
c) Prepare and submit to the members general meeting a report on the
d) financial position of the group at the end of the calendar year of the group.

6. THE ORGANIZING SECRETARY

a) The organizing secretary shall arrange for the venue of the meetings in
consultation with other executive members.
b) Shall be in charge of discipline in the group

LOAN COMMITTEE.
The committee members shall,
a) comprise of vice chairman, vice secretary and organizing secretary.
b) Vet members to ascertain whether they qualify to join group also if they qualify
for loaning.
c) Recommend members to be loaned.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
a. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of permanent members in such place
as may be fixed by the Executive committee at the end of each year.
b. The Annual General Meeting shall be the supreme authority of the group and its
decisions shall be final and binding to all members.
c. Notice regarding the meeting must go out at least two (2) weeks before the date
of the meeting.
d. Executive Committee shall convene a Special Meeting for members whenever
necessary, provided that not less than five (5) days notice is given. A special
general meeting may also be convened if two-thirds of the members through
writing demand for the meeting.

B. COMPOSITION
All registered permanent members of the group.
Guest (s) invited by the Executive Committee. They shall have no right to vote.

C. FUNCTIONS
a To determine the broad basic policies of the group.
b To consider reports and accounts presented by the officials of the group.
c To determine and delegate powers to the Executive Committee for the purpose
of implementing the aims and objectives of the group.
d To cause there being group officials by consensus or election.

D. QUORUM
a The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be by simple majority.
b The quorum for the Executive Committee or an ad-hoc committee shall be
three(3).

For a quorum having been realized, a properly convened meeting of the group shall
be authorized to conduct any or all its specified functions or any other business
requiring immediate consideration.
ARTICLE VII: THEEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A) COMPOSITION

The Executive Committee shall comprise

1. The chairperson
2. The secretary
3. Treasurer
4. Organizing Secretary

B MEETINGS
The Executive Committee shall meet at such a time as:
a The chairperson and the secretary may deem fit.
b Matters relating to the group may arise between members' meetings and at
least once a year.

B) FUNCTIONS
1. To act as the supreme authority and to transact the business of the group.
2. To see that decisions and policies of the members General Meetings are
fully executed.
3. To help organize and supervise the administrative machinery of the group.
4. To enforce the constitution of the group.
5. To censure, suspend or dismiss any member of the group for negligence of
duty, dishonesty, incompetence, or failure to obey its decisions or for the
reasons it may deem fit and important in the interest of the group subject to
approval of the members Annual General Meeting.
6. To give reports of the group operation(s) to the members during meetings.
7. To form ad-hoc committee(s) of the group and specify their functions.
8. To approve loans/ savings withdrawals of exiting members.

ARTICLE VIII - SAVINGS

 1. Treasurer in conjunction with the Executive Committee shall cause a saving
in the ELLIGNESS WELFARE ASSOCIATION (EWA) account. Each
member to deposit at least ksh.250 weekly or ksh 1000 monthly directly into
the group account by making a deposit or through mobile transfer.
2. Interest on savings is paid at 10%per a num.

ARTICLE IX- LOANS

i. All loans to be disbursed to qualifying members after vetting and approval.

ii. A member should save at least 3 consecutive times for him/her to qualify.
iii. Loan amount is a maximum of 3 times of total savings for members.
iv. Loan repayment is 3 months for members’ and1 month nonmembers. Loan
repayment should be done weekly.
v. At least 2 guarantors and collateral/ security to be provided before giving loan.
vi. Nonmembers must be introduced by members in order to qualify.
vii. In case of default, a fine of 2%starts accumulating for 30 days. Reposition and
disposal of assets pledged is done immediately. At this stage legal action can
be taken against defaulting member.

ARTICLE X: AMMENDMENTS AND ALTERATIONS

a. Amendments/ alterations of these rules shall only be made by consensus or
resolutions voted upon by secret ballot and passed by a Members General
Meeting.
b. All proposals for amendments/alterations shall be submitted to the Secretary
for inclusion in the agenda not later than a week (7 days) before the date of the
Members General Meeting.
c. Alterations of the rules shall take effect at a date to be determined by a
members' general meeting.
d. A copy of an updated constitution of the group shall be issued to any member
upon registration by the secretary.
ARTICLE XI: GENERAL RULES

A. INTERPRETATION OF RULES.

In the event of a question arising as to the interpretation of any of these rules, the
question shall be referred to the Executive committee of the group for decision
making. In case of dissatisfaction, either party can appeal to the members'
general meeting whose decision shall be final and binding to all members.

RESOLUTIONS.
1. Every resolution shall be moved and seconded before being put to the meeting.
2. Resolution(s) shall be deemed as having been carried if agreed upon consensus
or by simple majority of the voting members.
3. A declaration by the chairperson that a resolution is carried and entry to that
effect in the minutes of the proceedings shall be sufficient evidence of the
declaration, without proof of number of proportion of vote for or against the
resolution.
C. CONSENSUS AND RULES
1. The taking of all decisions in respect of the causing or being of group officials,
amendments/ alterations of rules, dissolution and any other matter affecting the
members of the group generally shall be by consensus or secret ballot.
2. The system of voting shall be one paid up member one vote.
3. In case of a tie/equality of vote, the chairperson shall have the power to break
the tie by casting a vote.
4. The patron shall be the sole and absolute judge regarding the validity of any
consensus reached or any vote cast at a meeting of the welfare.

D. MINUTES
The secretary shall cause minutes to be made for all business transacted at the
meeting of the welfare. Minutes which have been confirmed and signed by the
chairperson of the meeting in which they were transacted, shall be conclusive
evidence of the business transacted at which they relate.
F. DISSOLUTION
Can only be done by a full general meeting of fully paid up registered members
and supported by two-thirds of the members present.
Upon dissolution assets/liabilities shall be handled by the caretaker who group
members shall agree in an AGM
F. List of Members of Advance self-help group.
NAME ID. NO. SIGNATURE

1…………………………. ………………………… ………………….

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