EAST AFRICA HUB ACTIVITIES

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EAST AFRICA HUB ACTIVITIES

• BY
• ALEKE DONDO
• APRIL, 2005

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STRENGTHENING GRASSROOT BUSINESS INITIATIVES IN
KENYA.

• 1. ESTABLISHED WORKING GROUP.
• 2. PURPOSE OF THE WORKING GROUP WAS TO ENGAGE
  SOCIAL ENTERPREURS IN DEVELOPING PROJECTS

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3. SUB COMMITTEES

• THREE SUB-COMMITTEES WERE ESTABLISHED COVERING 3
  BROAD AREAS AROUND WHICH PROJECTS COULD BE
  DEVELOPED.
• THE 3 AREAS ARE
• (i) SUB-SECTOR PROGRAMS TARGETED AT THE
  AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AND SUPPORTING INDUSTRY
  GROUPS (SUCH AS THE KENYA HONEY COUNCIL)
• (ii) YOUTH ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT/MENTORING
  PROGRAM
• (iii) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

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3.1 RATIONALE FOR THE 3 AREAS

• AGRICULTURE IS THE PREDOMINANT SECTOR IN KENYA
  AND 70 OF THE KENYAN POPULATION IS ENGAGED IN
  AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
• LEVEL OF UNEMPLOMENT AMONG THE YOUTH IS VERY
  HIGH.
• KENYA AND INDEED THE EAST AFRICA REGION HAS VERY
  FEW SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICE
  PROVIDERS

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4.PROJECT IDEAS

• THE SUB-COMMITTEES DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING
  CONCEPTS WHICH WERE PRESENTED TO THE MAIN
  COMMITTEE
• 4.1 BUSSINESS SUB-SECTOR COMMITTEE
• ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO (AFRICA NOW)
• EXPANSION OF BIOP WHICH IS INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING
  NEEM PRODUCTS
• COCO-PEAT (KENYA GATSBY TRUST)

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4.2 YOUTH ENTERPRISE/MENTORING SUBCOMMITTEE.

• THE PROJECT SEEKS TO HELP PROMISING YOUNG
  ENTREPRENEURS CREATE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES. THE
  PROJECT WILL PROVIDE MENTORING AND START-UP
  CAPITAL FOR THE BUSINESSES.
• KENYA YOUTH BUSINESS TRUST AND KREP DEVELOPMENT
  AGENCY.

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4.3 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (BDS)

• BDS FOR MSES - THE PROJECT SEEKS TO PROVIDE
  TRAINING, BUSINESS CONSULTING AND FINANCIAL
  SUPPORT TO OPERATORS OF MICRO AND SMALL
  ENTERPRISES.
• SUB-CONTRACTING PROJECT
• COOK N LITE LINKING JUA KALI ARTISANS WITH
  COOK N LITE FOR OUTSOURCING HURRICAN PARTS.

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5.0 PIPELINE PROJECTS

• 5.1 Business Subsector Group
• a). Establishing Village Banks for Rural Women
  in Western Kenya.
• A project supported by KDA and AfricaNow.

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• b). Scaling up Production of OFSP (Orange Fleshed
  Sweet Potato) Flour amongst Smallholder Farmers
  in Western Kenya. A project supported by
  AfricaNow.
• AfricaNow is a rural development NGO that is
  mainly funded by the EU.

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• c). The BIOP Company which produces eco-friendly
  natural products for use in agriculture, health
  and beauty care from the famous medicinal plant
  the Neem Tree. It is grown by farmers in the
  rural areas especially in Kwale district. BIOP is
  supported by ICIPE.

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• d). Commercial Beekeeping Partnerships that is
  independent of honey processing companies and the
  establishment of the Kenya Honey Council
  presented by AfricaNow.

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• 5.2 Youth Enterprise
• a). Youth Enterprise/Mentoring a project that
  will be supported by Kenya Youth Business Trust,
  Strathmore College and KREP Development Agency.

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5.3 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

• Informal sector and Micro-Enterprises Business
  Development Services.
• These will be supported by Kenya Women Finance
  Trust and Strathmore University.

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6. IFC GBO SUPPORTED PROJECTS

• HONEY CARE AFRICA
• K-REP DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
• SUSTAINABLE HEALTH CARE ENTERPRISE FOUNDATION.

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7. CHALLENGES

• (i) MAINTAINING INTEREST OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
• (ii) GETTING TIME OF BUSY EXECUTIVE