Uasin Gishu County in partnership with Stanbic Kenya Foundation and German Agency for International Development Cooperation (GIZ) has rolled out a programme aimed at accelerating business recovery and growth of small enterprises post the COVID -19 pandemic.
Facilitated through workshops, participants of the programme have been trained in business resilience, digital sales and marketing, financial management, people management, access to markets and new value chains as well as legal and compliance requirements.108 MSMEs in Uasin Gishu have had access to affordable finances and 212 MSEMs benefitted from the capacity building in business resilience and digital technology adoption.
County Executive committee member for Trade, industrialisation, Tourism, Cooperatives and Enterprise Development, Martha Cheruto, speaking during the training forum said the county is the region’s economic hub, acknowledging the part played by the business community and other stakeholders in creating the county’s favourable environment for local and international investors.
“Through the partnership with Stanbic Kenya foundation, the county government has received about Sh 7.5 million to facilitate some MSMEs recovery from the effects of COVID 19 pandemic,” she noted.
“We have invited national government agencies including KEBS, KRA, KIDRI so as to listen into the grievances of MSMEs and discuss how we can collaborate to create an environment that is conducive to doing business for all business people,” she said.
The county executive further applauded the partners for supporting the county government in its efforts to promote MSMEs as a way of creating employment opportunities and improving public service delivery.
On his part, Joshua Oigara, Chief Executive, Stanbic Bank Kenya and South Sudan said MSMEs are the largest contributors to the country’s workforce and generate a substantial part of the country’s GDP.
“MSMEs remain the most vulnerable to economic shocks owing to limited access to resources including financing and this is further exacerbated by lack of exposure to relevant knowledge and skills for sustained business growth, “said Oigara.
Oigara noted that Stanbic Kenya Foundation is working to bridge this gap by supporting MSME capacity building across different counties and looking forward to seeing these enterprises boost the county’s local economy as well as internationally.
By Judy Too
