Every morning across East Africa, millions of small businesses open their doors – a mechanic in Nakuru, a tailor in Dar es Salaam, a café owner in Kampala.
Together, they form the backbone of the region’s economy. They account for over 90 percent of all enterprises and employ nearly 80 percent of the workforce, and in Kenya alone the sector comprises more than 7.4 million businesses, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
