Inoorero’s Business Mentorship Programme Gets Sh60 Million

Business Daily (Nairobi)

George Ngigi

22 July 2011

Inoorero University has launched a business mentorship programme as higher learning institutions move to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit in the country.

The programme has received Sh60 million support from the Danish Embassy.

It aims at training business mentors who will in turn give advice to firms operating in the formal and informal sectors.

The programme is a response to a survey that found that three in four enterprises collapse within the first three years, retarding economic productivity and creation of jobs. “Mentoring may be that kick which will save such enterprises from collapsing,” said Daniel Huba, coordinator, Regional Centre for Enterprise Development at the university.

Access to finance

Efforts to stir entrepreneurial development in the country have largely revolved around access to finance, market linkages, and creation of regulatory framework with little regard to the gap in managerial skills.

Some of the interventions taken include the creation of the Sh3.8 billion SME fund by the Treasury, and the amendment of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act to ensure local SMEs that tender for government contracts to also have a chance.

“Even if this is corrected entrepreneurs need to be made aware and guided so as to take advantage,” said Mr Huba.

Create jobs

Within its two-a-half year lifetime, the project intends to directly create 2,700 sustainable jobs with each employee earning approximately Sh10,000 per monthly.

Mercy Waithanji, who owns an advisory company, said the course would help enterprises draw succession plans. Universities have been blamed for focusing on teaching theoretical courses which have driven students to rely heavily on the thinning formal jobs market.

“The industry is asking for more as the courses taught are so classical. We need hands on ready to go programmes,” said Mr Huba.

Kenyatta University and Strathmore University are some of the institutions that have launched incubators courses to impart practical entrepreneurial skills in their students.

Kenyatta University has sought to engage renowned businessmen including Manu Chandaria, S K Macharia, and Chris Kirubi as senior lecturers to train the students.

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