Small and medium enterprise owners have been challenged to take advantage of the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to improve entrepreneurship.
According to the chief executive officer of the 20X Entrepreneur, Eunice Mburu, the government’s programs were offering opportunities that if well tapped could see most micro, small and medium enterprises grow into entities that would solve the country’s unemployment problems.
Speaking at St Peter’s ACK Cathedral in Siaya town during a training session for over 200 small-scale businessmen, Mburu gave an example of the affordable housing program that was offering opportunities to various professionals in different parts of the country.
She called on the prospective entrepreneurs to be focused on the available opportunities and discard negative ideas that would hinder their growth.
“Many times, when there is a lot of political and economic noise, micro-entrepreneurs lose hope,” she said adding, “challenges will always be there. Our work is to surmount them and rise and be the best that we can.”
Through its programme “Chanuka, Jipange na Opportunities”, 20x Entrepreneur has conducted targeted skills training aimed at bridging the gap between the small and microenterprise owners and available government opportunities.
The CEO said that the programme is designed to empower artisans, suppliers, and construction professionals in the Jua Kali sector with the tools necessary to thrive in the housing value chain to foster economic growth and strengthen trust between the government and local communities.
The participants, led by Stephen Omondi, Esther Achieng and Chrispine Ong’or hailed the training as timely, adding that it was an eye-opener for them.
They called for more training opportunities for the small enterprise owners.
By Philip Onyango
