STANBIC FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH KENYA INDUSTRIAL ESTATES TO DEVELOP WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

The Stanbic Foundation has partnered with KIE to advance financial literacy and enterprise resilience among women entrepreneurs across Kenya. In partnership with various county governments, more than 100,000 women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have undergone entrepreneurship and financial management training. The programme, which is being implemented in Homa Bay, Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Kisii, Nyamira, Kericho, Nairobi and Kiambu counties focuses on strengthening the fundamental skills that determine long-term business sustainability including structured record keeping, cash flow management, budgeting, financial planning and demystifying Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) processes. By building financial literacy at the grassroots level, the programme aims to position women-led businesses to engage more confidently with formal financial systems. Women entrepreneurs remain central to Kenya’s county economies, yet many operate informally, limiting their ability to scale. Strengthening financial confidence not only enhances business resilience but also contributes to job creation, household stability and inclusive county-level growth. Collaborative models that combine capacity building with structured financial pathways act as practical levers for closing gender gaps in entrepreneurship and unlocks long-term economic opportunity. The Foundation, which celebrated 5 years of operation in 2025, has disbursed over KES 180 million in microloans and facilitated capacity building for over 100,000 MSMEs across the country.