Women leaders map out route to industrial growth
Women industrialists in Kenya have drawn out a road map aimed at driving industrial growth in the manufacturing sector.
This was reveled during a gala dinner on Thursday night organized by Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) under the Women in Manufacturing Programme.
The ambitious venture also hopes to bridge gaps which have always made it impossible for women to thrive in the manufacturing sector.
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, Prof Margaret Kobia, who graced the occasion, noted that the objective of Women in Manufacturing Programme is therefore wholly appropriate and timely.
“The objectives of the Women in Manufacturing Programme are perfectly aligned to the Government’s Agenda under the Big Four through which the administration hopes to catalyse development, economic well-being of all citizens and inclusive growth. Women are capable of inventing and creating new products and services that maybe no one else can come up with,” said Kobia.
Challenges affecting women industrialists in the country were identified as stereotypes, cultural barriers, capital and lack of access to financing, low income levels and high dependency on spouses.
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
Speaking during the event, KAM Chair, Ms Flora Mutahi said there is great potential for women-run industries to create productive jobs and grow value chain in the country
“Women-owned businesses are making significant contribution to the Kenyan economy. Their businesses account for about one-half (48 per cent) of all micro, small, and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), which contribute about 20 per cent to Kenya’s GDP. Of the 462,000 jobs created annually since 2000 in Kenya, 445,000 jobs have come from the informal sector, where 85 percent of women’s businesses are found,” Mutahi said.
“This platform looks at increasing the value and capacity of these businesses through technical assistance, facilitating access to finance and mentorship from KAM’s larger database where they can also seek solutions to scale up their industries through business-to-business linkages,” she added.
Women in Manufacturing Programme, launched in 2017, anchors its ethos on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 which centre inclusivity and sustainable economic growth at the core of their industrialization goal.