Posted: September 24, 2026
Over the last seven months, we have trained 452 participants in entrepreneurship skills in Kwale, Nairobi and Eldoret, as well as sustainable agricultural practices in Moiben.
Each of these participants either had an existing small business or started one during the training. One of them is Leah Mwachi from Eldoret, whose story I shared last month. (You can read her story here.) Leah started a small business selling chapatis (a flat, layered bread made from wheat flour and water) in her neighbourhood. Through the business, she has been able to grow her daily savings from Kshs. 100 ($0.77) to Kshs. 300 ($ 2.32)
In Nairobi, participants have been taken through topics such as marketing and sales and Business Model Canvas. Each topic challenges them to think critically about their business. They should assess their business ideas and respond better to customer needs.
“I now understand why my previous business failed. I was selling without thinking about the needs of the customers around me. I did not even research what people truly needed! I just woke up and started selling bananas on the roadside. I have now learnt to research customer needs,” a participant in Nairobi shared.
Another participant added: “I am going to save some cash to buy dummies to enable me to display my clothes instead of folding them inside the shop. This approach will attract passersby who have little time. They won’t spend long looking at folded clothes. She shared this after the Business Model Canvas session.
In Moiben, most participants are farmers. The sustainable agriculture initiative shows a shift from individual production for uncertain markets to collective planning for identified buyers. At least 155 farmers have been engaged in Moiben. About 80 are now implementing the training in poultry keeping or chilli farming.
The initiative is also helping households view poultry and kitchen garden production as commercial enterprises, with production targets, quality standards and income potential, not simply as sources of food for the household.
This work is taking place within a broader Kenyan context where agriculture and small businesses play a significant role in livelihoods. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS 2026), about 72% of Kenya’s population derives its livelihood directly or indirectly from agriculture.
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are also a major source of employment. The State Department for MSME Development reports that the MSME economy accounts for approximately 85% of non-farm jobs, equivalent to about 15 million out of an 18 million non-farm workforce.
For EPTF, these statistics represent more than numbers. They reflect the realities of the communities we work with alongside farmers in rural areas and micro and small business owners in urban and low-income communities. The 452 participants we have reached so far are building livelihoods through these very pathways.
Through entrepreneurship training and sustainable agriculture, we seek to equip 900 participants by next year, with practical skills that can help them strengthen their businesses, increase their income and build more sustainable livelihoods.