WOMEN BUSINESS HUB -KENYA

Youth and women’s access to land rights and agribusiness ventures is a cornerstone of Kenya’s pursuit of sustainable food security, employment creation, and economic empowerment. Land remains the most critical resource for agricultural production, yet women and young people continue to face systemic barriers to ownership and control due to cultural norms, legal constraints, and limited financial capacity. Without secure tenure, they are unable to invest confidently in farming or agribusiness, which undermines both productivity and resilience. Ensuring equitable land rights is therefore not only a matter of justice but also a strategic imperative for national development. Agribusiness ventures provide a pathway for transforming agriculture from subsistence into a dynamic driver of economic growth. By engaging youth and women in value chains that extend beyond crop production into processing, distribution, and marketing, agribusiness strengthens local food systems and reduces relia...

The Trade Over Aid (TOA) initiative under WBH is redefining economic empowerment for women in Kisumu ’s informal settlements. By shifting from aid dependency to enterprise-driven dignity, TOA supports women-led microenterprises to grow, formalize, and access markets. The program builds on existing trade practices—enhancing them with training, capital access, digital finance , and visibility. Recent field visits and visual documentation reveal a thriving ecosystem of informal commerce: fruit vendors , grain sellers , cooking equipment makers , textile artisans, and traditional basket weavers —all demonstrating resilience, creativity, and untapped potential. Field Insights: Enterprise in Action The images collected during this reporting period offer compelling evidence of TOA’s impact: Fresh Produce Vendors : Women selling bananas, tomatoes, onions, avocados, and leafy greens from roadside stalls and shaded tables. Grain & Dry Goods Traders : Mobile m...

  Economic marginalization in the Lake Victoria region is trapping poor young single mothers and women with disabilities in cycles of poverty, while aid dependency merely treats symptoms. The Trade Over Aid (TOA) initiative offers a transformative alternative by equipping these women with entrepreneurial skills and seed capital to become agents of change. In the counties of Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, and Migori , economic marginalization has deeply impacted young single mothers and women living with disabilities , exacerbating poverty and social exclusion. These women face: Limited access to formal employment due to low education levels, stigma, and lack of inclusive hiring practices makingitwork-crpd.org Bibliothek der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung . Barriers to mobility and participation in economic activities, especially for women with disabilities, who often lack assistive devices and accessible infrastructure makingitwork-crpd.org . Gendered caregiving burdens , particularly for ...