Karibu magazine 2nd Edition

strengthening agri-businesses designed to
develop the African private sector and stimulate
innovation and technology throughout the
continent
Pitch@Palace is about Innovation and
Technology. I am confident that with the
support of the Duke and other mentors and
business development support, my inspirations,
encouragement and the entrepreneurship skills
I have, I now have what I need to do great things
in Kenya and Africa
“What does winning the African
Entrepreneurship Programme (AEP)” mean
for me and my business?”
Winning the AEP provides the opportunity for
me to stimulate innovation, as a catalyst for
implementing ground breaking initiatives for
industry and smallholder producers in Africa,
Following my dream and passion to create an
agricultural innovation in Africa starting with
Kenya. It’s an opportunity to see African farmers
not as tillers of soil but as producers who can
trade quality foods in the global market place
for profit; and with the knowledge of the market
requirements. This should then filter through to
the local level and help improve their quality of
life. Curving a niche for quality African foods for
a growing world population, and with further
investment, giving them the opportunity to
expand manufacturing , add value to their
product, progress industrialisation to tackle
food losses using modern post-harvest handling
and food technologies, creating more jobs,
enterprise, security and eradicating poverty
using their already endowed agricultural
resources. As well as working harder than
many other professions and often for very low
remuneration, most farmers care about their
work and want to provide the best products and
maintain their livelihoods for the future.
I am not rich but I have a million dollar mind-set
and a passionate commitment to innovation,
creativity and Entrepreneurship. The opportunity
for ongoing mentoring support and to ‘sit
at the feet’ of HRH. The Duke of York, Retired
President Obasanjo and Aliko Dagonte (Africa’s
most successful entrepreneur) is a resource
that far much outweighs cash in hand. As I get
mentorship I will get to learn more and apply
the knowledge with the resulting ripple effect of
rapidly and widely making change happen.
It is a not only an opportunity to increase
sales but also expand the market the African
sweet potatoes products. This should unlock
the commercial value and replicate the model
for other equally potential crops. As we speak
this crop is now estimated to create 2000 jobs
and other enterprises along the supply chain
and in the agriculture sector. Winning the AEP
provides the opportunity to bring into limelight
the health benefits of sweet potatoes and its
potential as a commercial crop for the health
conscious consumer market.
And to help me inspire more people into
Enterprise to find solutions for day-to-day
problems and to develop innovative products
and services that are responsive to the many
challenges we face today. To lead others to ‘see
with their inner eyes what ordinary persons
don’t see with their normal eyes’. I hope to bring
inspiration to others to believe it is possible to
bring change to the poor communities through
Enterprise and trade opportunities-rather than
handouts.
We are all capable of change if only we could
take a little time to risk, Innovate, to make
progressive steps forward even when the whole
world seems to be saying ‘’give up’’. We must
be bold to bring our passion for a better Africa
to life, to change the lives of many people who
are in poverty through sharing knowledge and
mentoring and inspiring the next generation.
Finding time to nurture talent, share knowledge,
skills, networks and exposure to inspire them
to search within themselves and ‘bring forth’
their creativity and realize the solutions that are
already in them.
I am humbled and feel greatly honoured on
behalf all other African people to have been
selected to show what my many years of hard
work and commitment has brought and to
inspire others into Enterprise and change Africa
and the world.
If as a mother I can find time to bring inspiration
to the ordinary person and the young
generations, I believe we all can.
1ST EDITION | JULY 2016 15