The government has attributed Kenya’s fast economic growth in the East Africa region to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector as it employs about 80 percent of the country’s total employees outside Agriculture.
Speaking in Nairobi as she presided over the She’s Next Kenya event, the Advisor on Women’s Rights in the Executive Office of the President of Kenya Harriette Chiggai insisted that women’s contribution to the economy is undeniable because they are reliable innovators, problem solvers, natural born leaders and also incubators of ideas that transform them into real time innovative individuals.
Chiggai said the Kenyan government, in a bid to empower women, has boosted a vibrant network of women learnt businesses from a massive market overflowing with handcraft goods to innovative products.
She cited the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) which indicates that about 31.4 percent of MSMEs in Kenya are women led and women owned which employs 14.9 billion Kenyans and contribute to 40 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with an annual job creation of 30 percent.
Chiggai said that Visa partnering with Kenya creates and empowers women entrepreneurs while at the same time seeking to support, empower, and take their business to the next level.
She further stated that She’s Next program understands the challenges faced by women including intimidation, harassment from government officials, lack of affordable credit, gender bias, lack of capital, and balancing business and family which through this partnership, the women will be empowered to take their business to the next level.
“Mentorship is key to any business entity be it at personal level or corporate,” she remarked.
She at the same time congratulated the government’s contribution to gender inclusivity and women economic empowerment which has already bore fruits for women across different sectors.
Additionally, Chiggai said that her office will continue to collaborate with stakeholders and bring about meaningful change to Kenyan women and girls.
“We have signed our gender priority accelerator of the world economic forum and we are collaborating with all private entities including banks to accelerate the gender space of all women where economic empowerment and investment are the key pillars,” revealed Chiggai.
She further disclosed the government’s signing of the She Leads Campaign with the US government to accelerate the gender space within the country with key components on dealing with femicide technology assisted GPV and transformative agenda focusing on women in all economic, social and political decision making processes.
She on the other hand reiterated that Kenya needs initiatives that promote financial inclusion, access to skills, training, dismantling of discriminatory programs like micro loans, and mentorship programs that empower women to become leaders in their communities.
Others, according to Chiggai, include sensitization of women to adopt technology in their business enterprise and be revolutionized, fostering them to partner with their fellow women in form of “chamas”, co-operatives and support groups where they can share knowledge, and resources and emotional support to catapult their products within the sphere of business.
During the She’s Next event, over 2300 women entrepreneurs presented their businesses, where, the CEO of Busu Natural Skin Care Emma Omany (which offers dermatological solutions to those who are affected) were awarded Ksh 2.5 million for her innovative business.
By Judy Totari
