Resilience in female entrepreneurs celebrated and honoured at the Kayana Female MSMEs Awards 2024
Kayana awards
Resilience in female entrepreneurs celebrated and honoured at the Kayana Female MSMEs Awards 2024:
During the 2024 Kayana female MSMEs awards program event at Nairobi, Westlands’ Hyatt Regency Hotel, on July 10th, 2024, the event MC Michelle Ayuma described Patricia Okello (Pat), (an entrepreneur with 24 years’ experience of ups & downs and the Kayana Awards program Founder), as a passionate person who searches until she reaches women MSMEs from all corners of Kenya. “Pat is visionary and plants entrepreneurial seeds,” appreciated Ayuma. She appreciated the advocacy role of Kayana awards program; “advocacy tells stories powerfully,” she added.
“We at Kayana awards program support women- led and -managed businesses all over Kenya and this is our 3rd awards event. We’re committed to MSMEs and we endeavour and sacrifice to give the businesses all the support we can garner and limelight for the requisite recognition,” Pat affirmed. “We are a community and family that believe in the philosophy that small businesses are indeed big businesses and we urge our members to think big under our three thematic pillars– people, profits and the environment (planet),” affirmed pat. The program not only provides business skills and knowledge but also coaches and mentors entrepreneurs in partnerships with other like-minded institutions including Visa. It provides a network where the female entrepreneurs share experiences and encourage each other.
“Pat is innovative and curious and I always support her in her entrepreneurial journey given that I come from a background of entrepreneurial family. I’m hopeful that the Kayana Awards will grow from strength to strength and even cross over Kenya’s borders,” appreciated Joseph Okello (Joe) Pat’s husband and Kayana Awards co-founder at the colourful event.
Visa, one of Kayana Awards’ main partners was represented at the event by Eva Ngigi Sarwari, Visa Kenya County Manager. A financial services expert ,Ngigi rued the vulnerability that always faces MSMEs. “Our MSMEs just like others in different parts of the world often lack initial and operations capital. They also lack skills needed for operations and also lack the requisite technology,” she observed. Ngigi recalled her team’s efforts to introduce the Visa She Is Next program to Africa in recent years. “Though we had limited resources, we still partnered with Pat,” she affirmed. She rued the fact that many MSMEs in the country lack the means and skills to reach out to the market where several empowerment opportunities exist. According to her, many of the MSMEs do not get to hear of calls for partnership or support applications. Yet, in recent years, Visa has rewarded 5 top women MSMEs who have responded to the She Is Next calls.
“We’re proud to support women entrepreneurs seeing that their businesses impact communities and the Society the most,” Ngigi affirmed adding that Visa is proud to be part of the Kayana Community. Notably, the Visa card is used in many places globally including at POS (points of sale) and at ATM machines among other places making trade possible and empowering billions on its global platforms.
According to Mercy Kimalat, ASSEK “Association of StartUps & SMEs Enablers of Kenya) CEO, it is critical to support women everywhere and especially in entrepreneurship. “A woman is a symbol of unity and she always nurtures to support and grow life. She’s a fighter and an influencer for family and generations,” Kimalat affirmed. She commended women entrepreneurs for their boldness given that starting and running business is always a big onus. Kimalat commended Kayana Awards program for mooting the Community & Collaboration award as this shall provide encouragement for entrepreneurs to push beyond boundaries. During the nominations assessment the power inherent in storytelling was noticed. “Entrepreneurs must tell their own stories powerfully since they are the best equipped to do so; they must own their stories and also ought to be proud of their products,” observed Kimalat. According to her nominees play the role of role modelling for budding entrepreneurs many days into the future. She revealed that ASSEK has a pool of over 200 innovations that help MSMEs.
Kayana Awards program 2023 Awardees;
Hellen Nalianya, Isabella Gaha Namodi and Emma Omany were some among the 2023 Kayana Awardees. In a panel session moderated by Jessy Mogere, Kayana Awards Program Data & Administration Coordinator, the three awardees shared personal experiences in the entrepreneurship journey.
Gaha, a financial services professional (who founded Tuendelee Foundation, a not-for –profit organization that operates in the education space), recalled that she was very excited when she got nominated for the Kayana awards. “I knew that winning would take me to another level. I was excited yet humbled and felt validated by the nomination. Kayana has great resources and I’m happy to be in a circle with other doing business like I do. I enjoy the wonderful feedback, knowledge and opportunities from the Kayana several network groups,” she said. “Under-privileged students at tertiary institutions are our main resources seekers and we give them coaching and mentorship. We’re now recognized for creating chances for such students and also for providing financial literacy especially business finance and accounting knowledge for SMEs with such skills helping the businesses to prosper,” explained Gaha. She confessed that the not-for-profit space presents challenges since it is more difficult to show what one is bringing to the table to attract financing. “Being a not very attractive space for financiers, one must be readily armed with right facts and data when one presents his or her case to attract funding,” she confessed.
“We’re now in consulting but it’s still not as attractive as the business of selling products which are physical. Yet we’re living with the challenges we face and the opportunities that we identify. When resources such as funding are scarce, we look for different ways of doing things. At the Kayana space, we’ve been able to get partnership with the KCA (Kenya College of Accounting) University and as we seek partnerships, we think outside the box,” Gaha confessed.
Gaha candidly revealed that she has applied forVisa’s SheisNext activities and the Zurich trip but without winning and not giving up. “When I apply for such events and activities and don’t succeed, I still seek the lessons in the efforts. Applications don’t always lead to wins but it still provides good lessons. Let’s keep going,” she urged.
Nalianya co-founded Vivanet Solutions Ltd with her mom and is now seeking a business partner. Vivanet is a tech firm involved in audi-visual systems integration. The firm won the Kayana awards with 49 per cent of the votes cast in 2023. “I’m happy to be in business and now write essays after which I shoot videos. Courtesy of Kayana, I travelled to Zurich on a business trip and enjoyed the experience immensely and learnt a lot,” Nalianya revealed. She affirmed that businesses could be made better and stronger through partnership with bigger investors. “Kayana is a beautiful story and people care for each other,” she affirmed as she shared her experiences. Through various trainings at the Kayana family, Nalianya has been able to win grants. “It’s important to show up at events once these are advertised since this is the place where we network and realize new opportunities,” she observed rueing the fact that Kayana has over 500 members but with only a handful showing up at the free entry events organized by Kayana and partners.
According to her, people should apply for opportunities (such as in the Shark Tank) and grants and even if they don’t win such, they still get valuable lessons. “At the Kayana sponsored Zurich business tour, I got chances to pitch for business with investors and I learnt how to use AI tools. I also attended the Las Vegas trip and emerged as one of the highest sellers of HP products. My appeal is to all of you to show up for these meetings,” she said.
Omany, the founder of Busu Natural Skincare (which manufactures skincare products from natural products in the country) joined Kayana Awards community when she was down in ditches and feeling very alone. “My idea and passion were great but I lacked support. So when I joined Kayana I was encouraged and enjoyed the family setting that is quite formality as contrasted in other institutions. Here members’ vulnerabilities and pitfalls are shared and the members see the positive and potential in each other. Members here identify the greatness in you which you may have missed,” confessed Omany. According to her the Kayana community has great connections that give traction in the market.
“Kayana has groups in different market/business sectors and the members are very honest with each other and also very helpful to each other. Its information platforms, where different specialities are shared, are strong and provide constant learning among members. “This is more of a family than a simple network. My confidence as a woman entrepreneur has been highly boosted,” affirmed Omany. “As a member in Kayana manufacturers’ group, I saw a SheisNext advert and participated in the activities with this helping me to win and earn recognition. Doors have kept opening for me through Kayana. I enjoy the business support here courtesy of business clubs, awards, collaborations and meeting with investors and even getting grants,” she added. She confirmed her excitement and vowed not to let Visa down. She appealed to Kayana Community members to keep showing up at events and putting in even more efforts and to keep working.
Omany revealed that her firm manufactures different skin products addressing different skin issues across social classes and ages. “We’re keen to manufacture products for each age including products tackling problems such as eczema in children. We’re also packing such products in sachets to allow for affordability in the ‘Kadogo Economy’ concept. It can be done though it might appear like quite a task,” she affirmed. “She can, She will, She’s Next,” she asserted also explaining that small steps matter. She appealed to the Kayana family and guests at the event to personalize their steps and efforts in business. {Ends}