Championing A Kenyan Women's Microbusiness Program

When we launched this microbusiness incubator everyone at BBS, and our Kenyan partner Activate Action, were excited about the potential of this program but we never imagined the immediate impact, which we're delighted to share in this report as well as announce that the second cohort is now underway with 30 new, and excited, participants!

All 30 participants from the first cohort have launched their business with the support of a US$50 start-up grant received from the incubator. The businesses are as diverse as the group of women and include poultry and egg production, tailoring, fruit stand owner, making and selling local snacks, and selling second hand clothes. One important underlying theme for these businesses is that each venture is rooted in the local economy, meaning that they have reliable income streams long into the future.

However, our time working with the first cohort doesn't end with the launch of their businesses but shifts to on-going coaching. This coaching includes visits to their business to support them with any start-up challenges plus to encourage and examine at new opportunities. The Street Business School methodology, which is at the core of our incubator, reports that "46% of women own two or more business one year after graduation."

Since becoming business owners, some of the achievements reached include being able to:

1. Afford healthcare for the entire family.
2. Afford renting an apartment and moving out of an abusive environment.
3. Pay for school fees.
4. Cover household expenses.

With the first group well along their entrepreneurial journey, the second cohort has started with the completion of the orientation session. Over the next six weeks, the following topics will be formally covered in the incubator's learning sessions:

1. Getting out of your comfort zone.
2. Business opportunity identification and market research.
3. Finding capital and starting small.
4. Bookkeeping (skills and tools to determine profit vs. loss, create profitability plans).
5. Business planning.
6. Money management (personal versus business money, prioritizing needs).

The format will again be based on meeting once a week for two hours with homework to be completed, based on the topic discussed, between each learning session. 

The response, and demand, to participate in the incubator is overwhelming and we believe that reaching our final goal of 500 women starting a local business is very attainable.

In closing, BBS and Activate Action wish to thank our community of supporters for their generous donations to this project.  Your support is making a life-changing difference for these incredible women, their families, and their community. All the donations received through GlobalGiving are designated for the workshop series costs as well as the start-up grants for the second cohort.

Best wishes to all and thank you again!