Heartland International, in partnership with two Kenyan NGOs, is now conducting a training program for young entrepreneurs (ages 25-35) in Kenya.  This two-part training program addresses issues of high unemployment and lack of opportunities for young people, especially in the rural areas of Nyanza Province and the Rift Valley in Kenya.  This training program will facilitate leadership and entrepreneurial skills development using a business association model—at the culmination of the program these small business owners will return to Kenya and begin to crystallize a Young Entrepreneurs Club (YEC) in partnership with a Kenyan NGO. 

   During the first phase of the training program, each participant will be placed with a small business in the Chicago-area that matches her or his own business in Kenya in order to gain hands on experience in business management.  Through home-stay experiences and volunteer activities, participants will gain a clearer understanding of American culture.

   Upon return to Kenya, the participants will join with ten new participants who will be trained locally.  This group of twenty will then train up to 400 others in each of the two regions.  They will have a set of objectives for working together and develop a three-year strategic plan with an Action Plan for the current year.  U.S. business owners who mentored the Kenyans will participate in a two week seminar in Kenya to initiate this phase of the program and to better ensure a continuing collaboration.

This program is supported in part by  the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges.

 For more information about this project contact Molly O'Donnell at molly@heartlandinternational.org.

The participants in the first phase of the project include:

Project Coordinator:  Annemarie Ojunga-Ochieng is the Kenyan Young Entrepreneurs Program in-country project coordinator. She has thirteen years' experience in community development, project management, guidance counseling and project implementation with civil society organizations in East Africa.  Ms. Ojunga-Ochieng has worked for a Kenyan NGO and has successfully developed the organization’s 5-year Strategic Plan, Website Human Resource Manual, Finance Manual, and has registered the NGO in strategic national and international networks. She has successfully  increased its funding base by acquiring donors and effectively managing funds from organizations such as CORDAID-Netherlands, GTZ, AMREF Maanisha, Stop Aids Now , Concern Worldwide  and , UNDP .  

Ms. Ojunga-Ochieng has worked with civil society organizations to raise awareness of the urgent need to address unemployment among Kenyan youth.  She volunteered as a trauma counselor for the post-election violence crisis team in Kisumu, Kenya, coordinated by the Kenya Red Cross Society and other UN donor agencies. She also raised millions of Kenya Shillings for these violence response forces, benefiting over 13,000 of Kisumu's impoverished residents.  Recently Ms. Ojunga-Ochieng was called to speak on remedies to mitigate election violence in Burundi.   Ms. Ojunga-Ochieng has a degree in Animal Production and a Higher Diploma in Counseling Psychology.   She is completing her MS in Project Planning and Management at Maseno University. Ms. Ojunga-Ochieng is fluent in written and spoken English, Swahili and Luo, and has traveled to Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania for personal and professional development.

Jaleen Aduma is the owner of Jaleen’s Agency which sells gift and household items. She travels to China and India to find the goods she imports for her business.   Ms. Aduma’s long term plans are to establish an entrepreneurs' club that will spearhead the establishment by supporting the  growth of businesses in Kisumu, offering advice and providing financial support.  She hopes to create more job opportunities for youth to help alleviate poverty. She is 30 years old and is fluent in English, Swahili, Luo and basic French.

Jeniffer Atieno owns a video editing and production business.   She received a degree in Education from Maseno University in Nyanza. Ms. Atieno has also taken many short courses, including a certificate course on video editing and production.  She was among 30 graduates from western Kenya trained in business skills and Entrepreneurship Development by the United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] in collaboration with Ministry of Youth Affairs. 

Justine Ayieye is the owner of an office cleaning service which she began with a modest loan.  Ms. Ayieye is also the owner of a small grocery shop.  Her entrepreneurial dreams include expanding her business and establishing a horticultural greenhouse and a community information center.  She attended Blanes College in Nairobi where she studied bookkeeping and accounting.

Peter Ofwa is a wholesale supplier of produce and clothing in Awasi, Kenya.  He has taken a university course in Accounting and has worked with two international development organizations in Kisumu to expand his financial management skills in community-based organizations.  Mr. Ofwa aims  to expand his business to a larger market in Kisumu City, and eventually hopes to pursue clothing design as a future career.

Dorothy Ogwethe worked as the General Manager of EDD Designers, an interior design firm in Nyeri.  In 2005 she then began her own design consultancy firm, RINE Construction and Supplies. RINE now employs 4 workers; with this expansion Ms. Ogwethe was able to purchase a vehicle for supply and delivery needs.  She is determined to expand the interior design and construction enterprise in Kenya.

Everlyne Omenya began her own cereal-supply business, Chever Enterprises, after managing her family business for the past 5 years.  From her experience in accounting, sales, marketing, public speaking and community mobilization, Ms. Omenya has been able to diversify her business' product inventory and outreach capabilities.  She describes herself as a "very committed and dedicated community facilitator," and hopes to expand her business to create employment opportunities for jobless youth in the Nyanza region. She also volunteers with a youth group education and outreach  program on health issues.

Carilus Otieno Odhiambo owns Lela Investment and Royal Force Security.  His security firm employs sixteen guards.  The investment firm provides services such as debt recovery and rent collection on residential houses.  Mr. Odhiambo trains youth and business owners on security risk management, loan acquisition and fundraising on a volunteer basis. 

Martin Otieno Onyango is the owner of Martkony Construction and Suppliers Company which contracts youth with different construction trade skills, e.g. electricians, masons, plumbers, fore-men and clerks.  Mr. Onyango has a Diploma in Construction from Kenya Polytechnic University College and a Higher National Diploma in Construction, Valuation and Estate Management. He also holds certificates in computer applications and water engineering.  Mr. Onyango is 30 years old.

Janet Oyuga is an accountant for a hotel in Kisumu city.  She also runs Ong'injo Enterprises, a business which breeds chicks to be sold to local restaurants.  She has employed 4 local youth to manage her farm while she is away at work.  In the future, Ms. Oyuga hopes to establish a large hatchery in Nyanza to further meet the poultry supply needs of the region.

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