Nairobi, Kenya – This month, international nonprofit TechnoServe and the Mastercard Foundation announced the launch of the Micro-Enterprises Strengthened for Pandemic Adaptation and Resilience in Kenya (mSPARK) program, a one-year partnership to help 28,000 entrepreneurs respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenya’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector…
Mom and pop shops are the economic – and often social – backbone of Nairobi, especially in the city’s informal settlements. Store owners like Cosmas are learning simple business fixes that can help their stores, and the communities they serve, to thrive.
Global food systems are becoming increasingly vulnerable as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Widespread lockdowns and restrictions on movement have made it more difficult to grow, transport, process, and sell food. Take our quiz to learn more about the effects of COVID-19 on food insecurity around the world.
As a young girl, Thato Ditsele dreamed of owning her own fashion business. However, life as a young entrepreneur outside of Johannesburg was not easy, and she ran into challenges along the way. Eventually, her dream came true and she was able to start her own clothing line. Through TechnoServe’s Box Shop program, she gained practical knowledge about finance, marketing, and branding, which helped her increase sales by 50%.
In the "Ask a TechnoServe Expert" series, our staff members answer your questions about the critical global issues they work on every day. In this edition, Chief Transformation Officer Kindra Halvorson addresses questions about how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting food security in the developing world.
Writing in Business Fights Poverty, TechnoServe Global Gender Director Cristina Manfre describes how to provide effective support to women entrepreneurs and farmers in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A survey of food processing firms in seven African countries reveals the challenges facing the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the past three years, TechnoServe has partnered with Citi Foundation to celebrate Global Community Day — an opportunity to give back to local communities through service. This year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Citi is partnering with TechnoServe’s Smart Duka program to distribute care packages to children’s homes and senior homes in Nairobi, Kenya.
In sub-Saharan Africa, TechnoServe is helping food processors to fortify their foods and build nutritious, productive, and prosperous futures for their communities.
Unable to find employment in his community, Francis Kihara ended up in prison. Watch our video to see how the STRYDE program helped him learn the confidence and skills he needed to start a new business and rebuild his life.
