Invest in Africa and GIZ DTC SKIIVE unveils Kwale Youth and Women Digitalization Program

Youth and women entrepreneurs in Kwale County are set to benefit from digital skills training as Invest in Africa (IIA), in partnership with GIZ DTC SKIIVE Local Subsidies Program unveils the Kwale Youth & Women Digitalization Program. This program is designed to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) led by women and youth in Kwale County by imparting them with essential digital skills which will serve as the cornerstone of their competitiveness in a fast-changing business landscape. Kwale County grapples with economic disparities that disproportionately affect the local population - women and youth have confronted formidable challenges stemming from limited access to opportunities and deeply entrenched socio-cultural norms and traditions that have acted as barriers, impeding their entrepreneurial aspirations. 

Within our mission to catalyze the growth of MSMEs in Kenya, IIA is dedicated to inclusivity and empowerment, with a focus on marginalized groups such as youth, women and rural MSMEs who often bear the brunt of economic disparities. 

Through our digital platform biasharanow.com, we provide essential business support services to MSMEs across all sectors of our economy. The platform serves as a gateway, opening avenues for MSMEs to access critical skills, markets and finance, thereby nurturing their growth and resilience in a dynamic economic environment. The SKIIVE Local Subsidies Program aims to support IIA to further enhance the capabilities of biasharanow.com to bridge the gap marginalized MSMEs face with access to digital services. 

This transformative program is set to onboard 50 youth-led and women-led MSMEs drawn from various sectors in Kwale County, Kenya. The capacity building component of the program includes business compliance training – providing step by step reference guides to support formalization of their businesses (compliance requirements, registration process), Microsoft Office skills for business – how use Office to prepare company profiles, budgets, invoices, proposals etc., and leveraging social media for business visibility and growth. Participants will also have access to quick reference guides on how to use and leverage various services on the biasharanow.com platform namely the business resources on Biashara Academy, market-linkages on Tendaspace, and access to vital financial resources. 

IIA acknowledges partnership as a core value and is keen to collaborate with key players in the industry to implement initiatives geared toward driving sustainable economic prosperity. The organization recognizes the immense contribution of MSMEs to the Kenyan economy. As such, IIA understands the need to empower high-potential groups such as the youth to grow MSMEs as key to bolstering the economy.