Archives: Investees

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Blue Light Prince Academy

Blue Light Prince Academy offers education services from early childhood development learning to primary school level in the Kakuma Kalobeyei area.

The vastness of Kakuma and Kalobeyei, the distance between schools and refugee camps, and nomadic lifestyle of the host community has created a huge strain on the education sector in the region as children have to trek for long distances to access education. The establishment of Blue Light Academy in Kakuma town has addressed this constrain for 485 pupils within the Kakuma Kalobeyei region.

Through the KKCF funding, Blue Light Academy is establishing a boarding facility to allow pupils in the area experience a learning continuity away from camp activities and reduce the walking time spent by pupils from the nomadic host community in their pursuit of quality education.

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Tulu Tulu traders

Tulu Tulu traders offers tailoring services in Kakuma town and specializes in school uniforms.

The population of the camp has been increasing to the current estimated population of 250, 000 people and 2,500 business. There has been constant outflows and inflows from various countries of goods and people. Tailoring takes 4% of the services offered in the area and business conducted by many women and refuges.

Through funding from KKCF, the business is looking to expand training to more tailors to meet the growing demand for tailoring services and to diversify the business to sell fabric on wholesale. The tailoring training and apprenticeship will see refugees and the host community being equipped with new skills. In addition, the sale of fabrics on wholesale will make the fabrics easily available in Kakuma and reduce the cost, time, and inconvenience of ordering from Nairobi.

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Justin Arike Abraham

Justin Arike Abraham operates a tailoring shop specializing in African wear for both men and women in Kakuma refugee camp.

With the growing demand for professional tailoring services in the area, Justin through the support of KKCF is looking at avail fabric and tailoring accessories in Kakuma and relieve the community burden of ordering these items from Nairobi.

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Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE Centre) undertakes e-waste recycling where it safely collects and dismantles e-waste to recover raw materials for recycling into new electronic products.

WEEE Centre has safely and successfully processed over 10,000 tons of e-waste since 2012 and has eight collection centers spread across the country for expanded e-waste collection. Through these safe disposal services, the company has prevented 14,400 tons of CO2 emissions. Additionally, their innovative ways of handling e-waste in Kenya have been adopted in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Madagascar, Ghana, Nigeria, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa, Egypt, and Liberia.

Through the KKCF funding, the company is setting up a training centre that will equip the youth (especially young women) in Kakuma and Kalobeyei with digital literacy, ICT repair and maintenance of electronics, computers and solar equipment, thus providing new income streams for the host community and refugees.

Visit the WEEE website here: https://weeecentre.com/

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

KKCF funding presented an opportunity for WEEE Centre to reach the refugee and host communities with an e-waste management programme, with the added potential for job creation among the youth.

The growing consumption of ICT and solar powered devices in Kakuma and Kalobeyei by refugee communities and humanitarian organisations, has led to the generation of significant amounts of e-waste, which if it is not managed in a manner that is environmentally friendly, it can become toxic to public health and the environment .

There is a large population of unemployed youth in Kakuma and Kalobeyei that could be engaged to earn decent incomes from e-waste management by collecting, repairing and recycling it.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years? What challenges have you had to overcome?

Our operations will concentrate on training agents, public awareness and e-waste management. The trained agents will also act as collectors
and repairers of electronic devices.

Getting qualified refugees and local community members to serve as core project team members has been a challenge. We have had to work with some staff members from Nairobi to train and empower locals before they can take full control.

What are some of the foreseeable impacts in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei area following your interventions?

We anticipate a large population of young people with hands-on skills for the repair and maintenance of electronic devices, as well as sales agents. The intervention will also enhance digital skills, especially among the youth leading to better employment opportunities and economic empowerment.

What advice would you give other SMEs in fragile/difficult situations, with refugees and their host communities?

Empowered agents from the local communities are the key to the success of any business initiative. They adapt easily to the local population and are more appealing to potential customers because ultimately they are familiar with the local culture, and their networks are intact.

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K-De Igratium International Limited

K De Igratium International Limited (KDII Ltd) addresses menstrual health challenges by supplying reusable sanitary towels that can be used for up to one year; this reduces the cost in low-income areas.

The company addresses waste management challenges caused by disposable pads with the core intent of ensuring that girls and women stay hygienic even during menstruation. These products improve the public health of girls and women since they are safe, easy to use and affordable.

Through the KKCF funding, the company is scaling up its operations into Kakuma-Kalobeyei with the establishment of a production and distribution centers in the area. This expansion will create direct employment for the host and refugee community at the production and distribution facilities. Additionally, the company will support at least 8000 households within the camp, town, and villages to access the re-usable pads with the ripple effect of helping them save their income noting that disposable pads are quite expensive.

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

I came to learn about the business environment as well as the unique community needs in Kakuma/Kalobeyei during a previous visit. Kakuma/Kalobeyei hosts a large refugee population as well as the local Turkana community, who are in dire need of sustainable menstrual health management (MHM) solutions for women and girls.

I applied for the KKCF funding to start a production facility for reusable menstrual pads and to create opportunities for economic empowerment through employment and business opportunities.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years? What challenges have you had to overcome?

We seek to provide sustainable solutions for menstrual hygiene with safe and comfortable reusable pads along with MHM education for women and girls in Kakuma/Kalobeyei. The KDII pads will be produced in Kakuma by women from both the refugee and host communities. In the next five years, we intend to reach 20,000 households and establish KDII as a positive contributor to the economic growth of Kakuma/Kalobeyei.

We must overcome the challenge of social stigma associated with menstrual health solutions. The high logistical costs and power unreliability are also some of the key challenges to be tackled.

What are the foreseeable impacts in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei area following your interventions?

Social Impact

Stigma around menstruation – Education and marketing awareness work together to eliminate stigma by enhancing women’s productivity and girl-child education.
Community inclusivity – KDII will be identified as a local economic empowerment project as a result of generating employment in both the refugee and host communities.

Economic impact

Accessibility to safe menstrual products will increase the economic productivity of women and girls by allowing women to work effectively even during their menstrual period, while girls will attend school without unnecessary interruptions. Employment opportunities for women at the production facility will facilitate economic empowerment. Due to the simplicity of the operation of the KRPP project, KDII will employ mostly women and youth (80%). Since the work does not require high skill, KDII will conduct training to empower youth to sell reusable pads, as well as encouraging them to work in the SMEs and local distribution networks.

Environmental impact

With the girls and women using KDII reusable pads, there will be a reduction in the excessive disposal of non-biodegradable single-use pads, either in toilets or in waste pits. In one menstrual cycle, a girl or woman can use up to 16 disposable pads. In one year, this translates into nearly 180 pads, yet the count can be sustained at just 5 reusable pads in an entire year.

What advice would you give other SMEs in fragile/difficult situations, with refugees and their host communities?

I would tell other SMEs that feasible business opportunities abound, even in the most difficult business environment, like Kakuma/Kalobeyei. One can still carry out profitable business while providing sustainable impact for the community.

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Hydroponics Africa Limited

Hydroponics Africa installs simplified cost-effective hydroponic farming solutions that deliver value through less water usage, reduced labor and land requirements, and increase in crop yield.

The company focuses on production and selling of fresh farm produce, manufacture and Installation of hydroponic systems , distribution and Installation of plant responsive systems , manufacture, and distribution of hydroponic nutrients and biopesticides , provision of smart farming digital platform which offers agronomy crop support and management and certified training and consultancy of hydroponic and plant responsive technologies. For the last 5 years, the firm has created over 20,000 employment opportunities, trained 23,100 women and youths on hydroponics and entrepreneurship and enabled production of over 8,763 tons of fresh farm produce.

Through the KKCF Funding, Hydronics is establishing acres of centralized hydroponic farming with production, training, and value addition infrastructure. The project will enroll 1,000 beneficiaries into an apprenticeship program aimed at training and empowering them with work opportunities. Additionally, the impact will enhance food and livestock fodder at household level and provide direct market linkage that will reduce post- harvest losses.

Visit the Hydroponics Africa website here: https://www.hydroponicsafrica.org/

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

Our aim is to feed the whole world by utilising a minimum of resources and saving water, and we were attracted to the available opportunities in the area; with the main point of attraction being the fresh produce market in the Kakuma-Kalobeyei area. The other main attraction point is the adaptability of hydroponic farming, as a preferable farming method because it uses minimal amounts of water and requires less manpower.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years?

We see ourselves as the largest producer and market of fresh produce in the area. Kakuma will move from being an importer of fresh produce to become an exporter. With improved
infrastructure and the discovery of more fresh underground water in the area, farming will become more viable.

What are some of the foreseeable impacts in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei area following your interventions?

We expect that:

  1. Locals will be able to get more fresh produce at a lower cost.
  2. There will be more direct and indirect employment opportunities leading to the economic empowerment of the local people.
  3. There will be a transfer of modern farming knowledge to the locals.
  4. The creation of water points will minimise water scarcity.

What advice would you give other SMEs in fragile situations, with refugees and their host communities?

  • Start with the County Government for easier access to the host and refugees, and to collect relevant business data
  • Engage and employ locals so that they have ownership of the project
  • Carry out due diligence of the politics of the area
  • Collect as much data as possible and try to drop the donor tag to avoid being overcharged for services. Both locals and refugees expect a higher payment of services and products from companies with a donor tag
  • Liaise with the Deputy County Officer and Liaison officers for a better understanding of the security issues

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AEC Kenya

AEC Kenya is a social enterprise that provides investment products and consulting/training services in underserved areas, including Kakuma/Kalobeyei and Dadaab.

AEC Kenya recognizes the potential of refugee communities, often overlooked by one-size-fits-all traditional aid model. The company positions refugees as clients which allows them choice and mutual accountability. To date, AEC Kenya has provided 1,800 refugee and host entrepreneurs in Kakuma-Kalobeyei with business advisory services, disbursed 354 low-cost investments, including more than 70 Sharia-compliant products for Muslim clients, and 1,040 one-time COVID-19 relief grants.

Through the KKCF funding, AEC Kenya will serve and impact 200 entrepreneurs in Kakuma-Kalobeyei. The company will also equip entrepreneurs with skills to become investment ready, financial resources and practical tools to create significant revenue and jobs.

Visit the AEC website here: https://www.aec-kenya.com/

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

AEC Kenya is a subsidiary of African Entrepreneur Collective (AEC), a US non-profit organisation, supporting micro and small businesses, including refugee-owned enterprises, with business development services, access to finance, market linkages and supply chain integration to thriving communities across East Africa.

Since launching in Rwanda in 2012, AEC has supported more than 29,000 refugee/host entrepreneurs across East Africa. Our success in Rwanda demonstrates that when refugee and host entrepreneurs have access to relevant business development services, tools and affordable finance, they will not only live more independently, but they will also contribute significantly to their refugee and host communities.

With over 200,000 refugees across Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, and having recognised Kakuma as a marketplace inspired and informed by research, including the 2018 IFC report and AEC scoping visits, we knew that Kakuma/Kalobeyei would be next on our expansion list after proving that our refugee entrepreneurship programme model works in Rwanda.

In 2019, AEC expanded the refugee entrepreneurship programme from Rwanda to Kakuma/Kalobeyei, and since then, we have worked with 3,382 entrepreneurs (58% women) in Kakuma/Kalobeyei; opening up more expansion opportunities to scale our impact across Kenya, including Dadaab Refugee Complex, Mombasa as well as in Ethiopia.

Finally, the KKCF funding opportunity aligns perfectly with our vision for impact and growth in refugee communities, specifically in Kakuma/Kalobeyei, as well as with our proven business model.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years? What challenges have you had to overcome?

With KKCF funding, AEC Kenya seeks to have additional market insights, a larger investment portfolio, and double-bottom-line impact to demonstrate to investors the commercial viability of lending to refugees.

Based on our projections, with KKCF funding, 25% of AEC Kenya’s operating costs will be fully sustained with earned revenue by 2024, reaching 60% earned revenue by 2026.

Here below are some challenges we have faced to date:

– In general, weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and the most recent camp closure announcements by Government of Kenya have been the biggest barriers to achieving our milestones as initially planned. However, we see continued recovery and a lessening of restrictions, hence better results compared to the past two years, which creates hope as we carefully watch the trends and pivot accordingly.
– Additionally, some participants who had taken part in other business development programmes with less stringent standards for participation and loan/investment repayments, dropped out of AEC’s cohorts when they learned there would be no immediate financial gain.

What are the expected impacts you foresee in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei areas following your interventions?

With support from KKCF, AEC Kenya foresees the following results:
#1: Skills Improvement – 75% of participants keep frequent records and demonstrate new skills.
#2: Revenue Growth – 75% of businesses increase revenues, minimum US$880K combined growth.
#3: Job Creation – 50% of participants will create jobs, totalling 540 new jobs created.

What advice would you give other SMEs that are working in fragile/difficult situations and with refugees and their host communities?

In light of AEC Kenya’s 4-year experience and learnings from supporting refugee and host community entrepreneurs in Kenya, and subsequent expansion to Ethiopia in 2021, our advice to other SMEs include:

  • Having a clear understanding of the micro, small and medium enterprise dynamics of refugees and hosts before launching programmes, following key guiding questions such as: What type of market is this? For instance, Is it a consumer, producer, services or business to consumer or business to business market?
  • Having a clear understanding of the value chain (i.e. what works and what doesn’t work?)
  • Leveraging existing business networks, partnerships on the ground and following market trends to inform programming and operations decisions.
  • Building trust and setting clear programming expectations.
  • Ensuring accountability to deliver on promises.

Finally, we know that every market has its own dynamics and not every advice will be applicable for all contexts. Therefore, AEC Kenya is open to sharing our experiences for specific needs upon request, and we would also be interested to learn best practices from other like-minded SMEs.

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Ziwani Poultry Enterprise Limited

Ziwani Poultry Enterprise is an agribusiness that supports small holder farmers to produce improved chicken and duck breeds.

The business also offers monthly training to small-scale farmers and incubation services. Through the KKCF funding, the company is improving the chicken value chain in the Kakuma Kalobeyei area by linking farmers to markets and availing equipment and services. The company will create jobs and improve the capacity of small holder farmers.

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

There was no completion for Ziwani Poultry Enterprises Limited, and we were encouraged by the fact that KKCF would take up some of the risk by offering the grant.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years? What challenges have you had to overcome?

The main challenge for us was the issue of land acquisition, and then finding a water source to sink a borehole on it. Construction material is very expensive, yet we needed cement, rebars, iron sheets etc.

I expect my business to grow since I have networked with a number of stakeholders and farmers who are keen on buying chicks from us.

What are the expected impacts you foresee in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei area following your interventions?

Pastoralists will diversify their livestock and start poultry farming as a way of building resilience in the face of prevailing drought in the region that impacts the large herds of goats, sheep, cows and camels negatively. They will also start consuming more chicken meat and eggs. Kakuma and Kalobeyei as a market place has a big population which translates to customers for our products

What advice would you give other SMEs in fragile/difficult situations with refugees living among their host communities?

The best advice in these circumstances is to always persist in what they do, knowing that it will eventually pay off. They can also diversify their enterprises to increase revenue inlets.

The Hive Limited

The Hive is a leading specialist in modern beekeeping equipment and beekeeping services in Kenya where it works closely with beekeepers focusing on increasing production and quality of bee products such as honey and beeswax.

The Hive Limited over the years has focused on increasing quantities of honey, wax and other bee products to meet the high demand. The company which has commercial hubs in West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana, Makueni, works with beekeepers to form Self-help groups and transforms them into co-operatives. The numerous innovations made by The Hive Limited have transformed livelihoods, food security, environmental conservation as well as crop yield quality in many aspects.

Through the KKCF funding, the company is helping tap the huge beekeeping potential in Kakuma and Kalobeyei through a commercial beekeeping hub that will provide economic and nutritional benefits among refugees and host communities.

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

The funding objectives were aligned to those of The Hive Ltd, and KKCF funding presented an opportunity to expand the Company’s portfolio considering that Turkana offers high potential for beekeeping. Although The Hive Ltd had undertaken beekeeping interventions previously in Turkana, KKCF presented an opportunity to set up a more holistic investment on a larger scale.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years? What challenges have you had to overcome?

The Hive Limited looks forward to promoting good practices in beekeeping through training and the provision of extension services to enhance production and productivity. This will be achieved with the establishment of two beekeeping commercial hubs and excellence centres in Kalobeyei and Oropoi. The Company intends to support beekeepers to increase the quantities of honey as well as ensuring it is market ready by improving its quality. The Company’s demand for honey currently stands at 600MT annually for its 12 shops across the country, and it is likely to increase further.

The main challenge facing The Hive Ltd. is the dependency mindset among the local community due to high poverty levels as well as the non-commercial approaches to beekeeping previously undertaken by
other development partners in the area. The expectation for hand-outs is persistent, thus undermining the commercial approach that Company intends to take for the project.

What are some of the foreseeable impacts in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei area following your interventions?

The Hive Ltd will provide a market for all honey produced among beekeepers in Kalobeyei and Oropoi. Our interventions will increase incomes among beekeeping households from the sale of honey to the
two commercial hubs. We will also create employment opportunities for the local community, including 23 formal jobs, as well as utilising both skilled and unskilled labour among the local community. Our commercial approach will unlock the potential and stimulate the growth of beekeeping activities in Oropoi and Kalobeyei. We will promote modern beekeeping technologies and equipment, and secure inclusion for
women and Persons with Disability.

What advice would you give other SMEs that are working in fragile/difficult situations, with refugees and their host communities?

There are enough opportunities to transform the lives of communities. Some of these require a shift in the current approaches and interventions. Integrating commercial approaches with charity interventions to address poverty, increases the potential for higher impact.

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Renewvia Energy Limited

Renewvia Energy Kenya is an energy company that designs and constructs solar mini grids, supplying underserved communities with reliable and affordable electricity

The business seeks to transforms lives through providing reliable, modern,safe, and affordable electricity to low income and densely populated areas that are underserved or far from the Kenya power. In Kakuma and Kalobeyei they have connected institutions such as UNCHR, World Food Programme and Norwegian Refugee Council. Through electricity connections, Renewvia Energy has brought new life in the area from enabling children to study at night, allowing families to connect and charge household appliances like phones, fridges and television that improves their social cohesion and exposure to connecting business to operate late in the night and use refrigerators to preserve perishable commodities.

Through the KKCF funding, the company will be expanding their capacity and increase connections in the Kalobeyei settlement area.

Visit the Renewvia website here: https://www.renewvia.com/

Company FAQs

What attracted you to the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area? Why did you choose to apply for the KKCF funding?

Renewvia’s plans for Kalobeyei Settlement commenced in 2018, and by September 2019, the company’s operations were up and running. We designed and built a 60kWp Solar mini-grid that serves over 500 residential and commercial customers. The initial design would have served 350 connections, but people’s desire for electricity connection increased exponentially beyond Renewvia’s designed capacity. Demand
has grown further since 2019, and we had been seeking additional funding to expand the mini-grid to meet this demand. The KKCF opportunity was crucial for us to expand our system, allowing more people in the camp to access electricity while maintaining our low tariffs – a possibility enabled by this kind of grant funding.

What do you look forward to doing in Kakuma/Kalobeyei? How do you see your business growing in the next 5 years? What challenges have you had to overcome?

We have always seen the huge potential for our business to grow in Kalobeyei. The sheer number of people living in the camp without access to a basic need such as electricity presents a huge business opportunity. The economic activity in the Kakuma/Kalobeyei area is also robust, with many hundreds of operational small businesses. Beyond this, we believe that with the expansion of our site, the overall economic and social development of the community will be pushed forward. Our intervention will supply an additional 2,250 customers, and we are excited to see the knock-on effects as more people gain access to a clean and affordable energy source for the first time. Our biggest challenge in the Kalobeyei community so far is linked to our inability to meet the rising demand for electricity with our current system. We are eager to expand the amount of power we can provide, in order to reach thousands of potential customers.

What are some of the foreseeable impacts in the Kakuma and Kalobeyei area following your interventions?

When the system expansion is complete, a total of about 3,000 customers, both residential and commercial, will have access to electricity from Renewvia in the Kalobeyei Settlement area. We collect
data on impact for pre- and post-connection at all of our of mini-grids, and expect to see improvements across a range of key impact areas. We measure the change and impact of having access to clean, affordable
and reliable electricity, specifically across 5 categories: Gender Equality, Productivity, Safety, Health and Business Activity. Within these 5 parameters, we have identified and are tracking specific key
performance indicators. Among others, we believe we will see improved household and business economics, a safer and more secure environment around the area of extension, and important impacts for women and girls in time-saving during their daily activities.

What advice would you give other SMEs that are working in fragile/difficult situations, with refugees and their host communities?

First and foremost, developing a positive relationship and understanding with the community, local government, and other organisations working in the area, is critical. In this environment, there are a lot of activities happening and information flow and expectations can be complex. It is essential to align with all actors so that the solution being promoted is one that makes sense, given the circumstances. It also needs to be well
understood and truly desired by the community.

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