Hustler Fund — Group Loan (Bunge Hustler)

Hustler Fund — Group Loan (Bunge Hustler)

Offers Kenyan group enterprises collaborative financing through mobile channels to support local business growth.

The Hustler Fund Group Loan, branded Bunge Hustler, is a microcredit facility extended by Kenya's Financial Inclusion Fund (Hustler Fund) to registered groups, chamas, and micro and small enterprises. The Hustler Fund was launched in November 2022 by President William Ruto as a government financial inclusion initiative under the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development. Accessing the fund requires no payslip, title deed, or logbook — a borrower's credit record serves as collateral. All transactions are conducted via USSD code *254# on Safaricom, Telkom, or Airtel networks, with disbursement via mobile money.

The Group Loan product targets registered groups and chamas rather than individuals, and offers higher credit ceilings than the personal loan product; public reporting cites ceilings of KES 1 million or more depending on the group's credit score. Interest is charged at 8% per annum on a pro-rated basis. A mandatory savings mechanism applies to all Hustler Fund products: 5% of each disbursement is automatically set aside, split 70% into a long-term (pension-like) savings pool and 30% into a short-term withdrawable account. By early 2026, over 27 million Kenyans had enrolled in the Hustler Fund across all products, with cumulative disbursements exceeding KES 84 billion.

This is a loan product, not a grant. All amounts are denominated in Kenyan Shillings (KES). There is no competitive application window or formal submission deadline; eligible groups apply directly via USSD at any time. Loan amounts scale with the group's credit history on the platform, and consistent repayment builds eligibility for larger subsequent tranches. Groups and chamas seeking working capital or business development credit in Kenya represent the primary applicant pool.