Enterprise

US college trains 14 Kenyan women entrepreneurs

WACEKE

Financial literacy Centonomy chief executive Waceke Nduati-Omanga during a past event in Nairobi. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NMG

Massachusetts-based Babson College has this year selected 14 Kenyan women business professionals for training in innovation and growth.

Under the college’s Centre for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership, the Kenyan business captains received a one-week leadership training at the institution to be followed up by a one-year mentoring programme at the University of Nairobi’s Wangari Maathai Institute.

The beneficiaries comprise a mix of emerging and seasoned entrepreneurs, in what points to increasing global recognition of Kenya’s vibrant business culture.

They include Waceke Nduati, founder of Nairobi-based Centonomy (finance management consultancy), Carol Ngige (Beauty Bee Ltd), Cynthia Mumbo of Sports Connect Africa, Barbara Kokonya (Very Chick ltd), Wangari Nyangui (Peperuka Ltd) and Robyn Emerson of Legacy Realty.

Others are Sharon Jepkorir (Blue Crest Ltd), Esther Maina (International Sales Training Institute), Margaret Koch (Eliora Energy), Darline Mbaya (Sofra and Happy Butchery Restaurants), Frida Owinga of PassionProfit Ltd and Mary Njeri of NW Realite Ltd.

“Throughout the week, the women worked on an entrepreneurial leadership challenge in peer coaching groups that they presented to a panel at the end of the week,” the college said in a statement.

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The programme, dubbed, Launch and Grow: The Kenyan Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership focused on business strengths, design thinking, digital media, governance, and resilience. The subsequent mentoring course at the University of Nairobi will involve networking, webinars and professional support.

“It was an honour to work with such an extraordinary group of women,” said Susan Duffy of Babson College.

“Together, they created a high-impact learning community by embracing Babson’s entrepreneurial thought and action methodology, as well as generously sharing their own insights and experiences with each other.”