TechnoServe Kenya Projects
TechnoServe Kenya
is located in an office building that could be anywhere in the U.S. or Europe
except it's in the Westlands' section of Nairobi.
Most of their clients are focused in various segments of agriculture, including
horticulture, agro-processing, and dairy.
Also see TechnoServe clients whose lives have been vastly improved in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
| Cecilia, an
alumna of Young Women in Enterprise and mentioned below from the tour of the Mukuru slum, was invited to sell her lovely knit products at the TechnoServe "Friday 4pm get-together." Two of her scarves had been auctioned to our colleagues at the office offsite earlier in July, so we wanted to give everyone the chance to support her entrepreneurship. (L to R) Cecilia carefully logs orders; Fred wears his new scarf while talking to a volunteer consultant (aka VolCon); and Cecilia takes on more requests for her products. |
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| It's hard for our friends
and family to envision the direct impact of our efforts in Kenya, so we'll show you in pictures. (Above) We enter the Mukuru slum of Nairobi, led by one of the Young Women in Enterprise top winners, Cecilia. (Above R) She sells one of her knit outfits to our guest from Nike Foundation (program sponsor). In her hut, she creates her wide product range from the knitting machine seen Above R Center. In her spare time, she helps her program friends to become good business women (Above Far R and just R), despite being single mothers and living in 1-room huts on narrow, sloppy streets. We know she will be a great role model for the local children (buying hot milk from Cecilia's program friend, Center R and Far R). |
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| The
TechnoServe Staff eagerly supports our Believe Begin Become business plan competition in Kenya, giving up Saturdays to drive up-country. (R) Henry with his adorable daughter. (R center) Esther explains how the competition works. (Far R) Nyeri audience. |
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| The first
Believe Begin Become one-day workshop was held in Nakuru with (R) an audience of 2,000. (R center) WW embarrasses herself by dancing in front of several hundred people in Nyeri. (Far R) Rick and Erastus the new TechnoServe Uganda Country Director. |
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| In March, some
smaller business plan competitions were held among Young Women in Enterprise Clubs. (R) Fred, our Kenya Country Director congratulates a young winner from Kibera, a terrible slum on Nairobi's outskirts. (R Center) Pauline, the program manager, awards a prize. (Far R) Symbolic of program impact--a proud father & daughter. |
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(Far L) The community center outside Kangari, a rural town about 75
km northwest of Nairobi, was the farthest site and judging location for TechnoServe's Young Women in Enterprise Club competitions. (Top L) An abandoned car next to a table sits in front of the main hall. (Top R) One judging panel consisted of Esther, Kiliken, Henry, and me from TechnoServe. We interviewed 13 amazing young future businesswomen in the room used for teaching construction & masonry (Far R). |
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(Far L) Rick, Kiliken and Ian relax in the hall for the awards
ceremony. (Top L) The young women who have competed with their business plans line up for lunch after their interviews. (Top R) The audience assembles to cheer for their friends. (Far R) We pass through one of many towns where the roads are under repair. |
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TechnoServe office (Far L) then looking to the left down Parklands
Road (Above L), across the street--yes that's Rick (Above R), then viewing right down Parklands Rd. (Far R) |
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| Our 2.5 hour
trip to Embu (Top Row L & Center) was to visit 2 clients, which TechnoServe is helping to "Upscale" from micro-businesses (Amos from TNS at Top R) to then employ more staff and buy from more farmers. Canan Honey (Bottom Row L) is biblically-named: Canaan, the "Land of Milk and Honey." Jars of honey and derivative products are displayed (Bottom Row Center) among the other drugs, etc. in the pharmacy (Bottom Row R) owned and operated by the husband and wife who manufacture Canan Honey in the same building. |
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| The 2nd client
in Embu is Aspen Orchards which creates, bottles, and sells a yogurt drink. L to R: Owner Gerald explains to Rick how he cannot fill all the market demand. 2-sized bottles (for kids and adults) are sealed with foil that is ironed to the plastic then topped with pink for Strawberry and blue for Vanilla flavors. Finally product is labeled and shrink-wrapped for shipping. The whole process occurs inside and outside the Aspen owner's former family home. |
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