By Faith Chebichii
Stanbic Kenya Foundation in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Uasin Gishu County Government on March 16, 2023, celebrated the graduation of 212 entrepreneurs in the County, who went through a one-week capacity-building training.
The entrepreneurs were trained in business resilience, digital sales, marketing, financial and people management, access to markets and new value chains as well as legal compliance requirements.
Further, the program was aimed at instilling entrepreneurial skills for them to grow economies and transform lives through job creation within their enterprises.
Speaking to the press after the event, Joshua Oigara, the Chief Executive Officer, of Stanbic Bank said Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) were the largest contributors to the country’s workforce.
Oigara noted that MSMEs are the most vulnerable to economic crisis due to limited access to resources especially finances caused by inadequate exposure to relevant knowledge and skills for running a business.
Nurturing skills
On her part, Martha Cheruto, the Uasin Gishu Trade, Industrialization and Tourism County Executive appreciated GIZ and Stanbic Bank for partnering with them to enable the success of the graduands.
“We received about Ksh 7.5 million from Stanbic Bank which helped to facilitate SMEs to recover from the effects of covid 19. Today was that culmination. We have taken them through training. All the sub-counties have been represented. All this proves to the world that Uasin Gishu county is capable of nurturing skills,” said Cheruto.
“We invited national agencies Including KEBS and KRA so that they listen to the grievances of SMEs and find ways on how we can work together to improve business environments and make it conducive for business people,” she added.
The partnership, the County Executive noted was also aimed at ensuring all investors both local and international can look at Uasin Gishu as their preferred destination.
