The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI) signed a partnership  with GIZ Sustainable Economic Development Cluster in 2021 that saw KNCCI implement two major programs ; KNCCI SME accelerator and Covid-19 recovery support program that supported MSMEs to leverage on a market system development and provide linkages to survive the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic which was implemented in 2022 and  KNCCI Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (WE4A) project that aimed to   increase market access to at least 63 Women entrepreneurs, alumni of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) through business networking, investor and B2B match-making. The women entreprenuers were drawn from Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Garissa, Machakos, Uasin Gishu, Siaya, Kisumu, Nyeri, Busia Kisii, Nyamira, Mombasa and Busia.

To enhance the existing relationship between the two organizations, The Chamber President Dr. Erick Rutto accompanied by the KNCCI Management team and a corporate member Ms. Grace Mbugua Founder Jeillo Collections paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Bernd Lakemeier – Head of Cluster, Sustainable Economic Development and Youth Employment at GIZ and Ms Irene Omogi – Component Head, Programme for Promotion of Self Employment and Entrepreneurship to deliberate on various areas of collaboration.

They deliberated on six areas of collaboration which are;

  • TVET , give young people employment prospects through provision of practice-oriented training and job matching services.
  • Women Economic Empowerment
  • Trade facilitation
  • Digitalization
  • Market linkages between Kenyan and Germany companies
  • Access to finance