Mombasa: Small-scale women traders in Mombasa have been encouraged to embrace value addition and form strategic partnerships to expand their market reach both locally and internationally. Ms. Betty Sharon, Executive Director of the Collaboration of Women in Development (CWID), highlighted the numerous challenges that continue to hinder women entrepreneurs, including restrictive social norms, limited access to finance, and a lack of training.
According to Kenya News Agency, Ms. Sharon affirmed CWID's commitment to provide market linkages and assist the women in accessing funding and business training. "These are the women from the grassroots who have never been linked to any other markets. We would like to link them to different markets and to see if they can upgrade what they are selling to a position where they can do exports," said Ms. Sharon during a sensitisation meeting.
The sensitisation meeting is a precursor event ahead of the Third Public Leadership Conference, slated for November, which will be held in the Port City. The upcoming conference will serve as a platform to connect women traders with potential donors and stakeholders interested in supporting women-led businesses. "This is a global meeting that will bring many people together worldwide. We want the donors to meet our women. These are the women that we are economically empowering," stated the Executive Director. "We want to see empowered women, and also we want to ensure that there is value addition to what they are selling to a level where they can do exports," she emphasised.
Ms. Christine Lekamale, a Maasai beader and a traditional dancer, appealed for financial support to improve their livelihood amid a surge in bead prices, which affected their businesses. "Tourist numbers have dropped significantly due to the low season, and this has hurt our sales," she noted.
Beatrice Simiyu, a beadwork entrepreneur from Kadzandani Ward, has mobilised local women to pool resources and grow their businesses. However, she cited limited funding as a major challenge. "With support, our beadwork and mat-making ventures can grow significantly. It's a profitable trade, though physically demanding. Completing a single mat can cause severe back pain. But with financial backing and access to markets, we are ready to work hard," she said.
Dinnah Otieno, a livestock farmer from Kiembeni in Kisauni Sub-County, shared how CWID's support has helped her overcome barriers and venture into livestock production and organic farming. "I encourage women and youth to consider farming. It has its challenges, but it can thrive here in Mombasa," she said. "We face market challenges, especially during the rainy season. But in the dry season, customers from across Mombasa visit our farm for organic products." She expressed the need for greater market access as she expanded her livestock business, with plans to open an organic grocery and butchery to better serve her clientele.
Meanwhile, Ms. Rashida Akinyi, a deaf woman who operates a knitting business on Nkrumah Road in Mombasa's Central Business District, cited communication barriers as a significant hurdle. "As a deaf entrepreneur, some people struggle to understand me, but I'm grateful for CWID's empowerment initiatives," stated Ms. Akinyi. "Through these programmes, we hope more persons with disabilities will gain the confidence and support to become self-reliant," she added.