Visa Announces Finalists for the Inaugural She’s Next Kenya Program on International MSME Day 2024
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, celebrated International MSME Day on June 27, 2024, by announcing the top five finalists for the inaugural She’s Next Kenya program.
The program, aimed at supporting women-owned small businesses, saw over 2,300 applicants vying for the grand prize of up to KES 2.5 million.
The finalists, selected after a rigorous review process, include Busu Naturals, Cladfy, Code with Kids, Crafts with Meaning, and Timao Group. These businesses have demonstrated exceptional business acumen, innovation, and resilience, standing out from a highly competitive field. They represent a diverse range of industries, contributing significantly to the Kenyan economy and beyond.
Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Visa Kenya Country Manager, expressed excitement about the finalists: “We received an overwhelming number of applications from amazing women-led businesses from across the country and have reviewed all of them quite keenly. These finalists have demonstrated exceptional business acumen, innovation, and resilience, standing out from a highly competitive field. They represent a diverse range of industries and are set to significantly contribute to the Kenyan economy and beyond. We are also excited about the additional SMEs that we are integrating into our She’s Next community to help them further develop their business skills and strategies, propelling their enterprises to new heights.”
In addition to the top five, an additional 15 SMEs will enter a capacity-building and mentorship program in partnership with Kayana Create, a community of female entrepreneurs that seeks to support and empower talented women entrepreneurs. Patricia Okelo, Co-founder of Kayana Create, stated, “She’s Next Kenya continues to champion the empowerment of women entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and creating economic opportunities. We congratulate the finalists and look forward to their presentations. The determination and drive they have demonstrated are truly inspiring, and we are excited to see who will emerge as the winner in this fierce competition.”
The selected SMEs represent various industries, including sustainability, financial services, and STEM education. The finalists are:
– Busu Naturals: This company addresses the need for locally manufactured emollients that cater to sensitive African skin by incorporating local botanicals and traditional beauty practices from different Kenyan ethnicities to provide high-quality, safe, and consistent skincare products.
– Cladfy: Cladfy tackles the credit gap in sub-Saharan Africa’s informal sector by enabling micro-lenders to provide working capital loans to micro-businesses such as smallholder farmers, fish vendors, and motorcycle riders.
– Code with Kids: This initiative empowers children from low-income backgrounds with affordable and accessible STEM education, ensuring socio-economic barriers do not hinder their ability to learn, innovate, and succeed.
– Crafts with Meaning: An award-winning social enterprise that collaborates with artisans in Kenya and Uganda to create home decor goods, lifestyle accessories, bags, and corporate merchandise inspired by African heritage.
– Timao Group: This innovative company addresses plastic pollution and affordable housing in Kenya by transforming plastic waste into durable, cost-effective building materials for modular homes.
The winner of the KES 2.5 million grant will be announced on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. The She’s Next Kenya program reflects Visa’s commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable world where women business owners can flourish through funding, training, and mentorship.
