On 3rd October 2023, Strathmore University (SU) and Kabarak University (KABU) formalized their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to empower Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through business advisory services in Nakuru County and beyond.
Through this partnership, the two universities will jointly conduct policy research and market intelligence focusing on consumer market insights, export market trends, and policy briefs with Strathmore University. MSMEs will also be able to gain access to finance, apply market analytics, and benefit from a supportive business-enabling policy environment. It is expected that over 10,000 MSMEs will be able to benefit and tap export market opportunities available under the U.S.-Kenya trade programs in Nakuru County.
The MOU signing ceremony, graced by the Vice Chancellor of SU, Vincent Ogutu, KABU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Henry Kiplangat, the Chief of Party of the USAID Strategic Partnership Program, George Njenga, and other key university officials, laid the foundation for collaborative opportunities between the two institutions.
The partnership will capitalize on Strathmore University’s USAID Strategic Partnership Program (USP); a five-year USAID-funded program whose core vision is to empower MSMEs, enhance MSME-related policy frameworks, and spearhead the transformational resilience of the Arid and Semi-Arid areas.
Speaking during the MoU signing, Dr. Vincent Ogutu, Strathmore University, noted the need for collaboration in empowering MSMEs. “Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are critical drivers of economic growth and contribute largely to income generation and employment. This sector is critical and no single institution can handle it on its own and that is why we are collaborating under a model created by USAID,” Dr Ogutu noted.
Prof. Henry Kiplagat, Vice Chancellor of Kabarak University emphasized the timeliness of the partnership and noted that the partnership holds great promise. “We are well positioned to support MSMEs with the best practices in business development and advisory services through the small business development centers,” he noted.
The Kenya Small Business Development Centers (Kenya SBDC) program is currently running in the six USAID prosper counties: Nakuru, Kiambu, Nairobi, Mombasa, Makueni, Kisumu and Isiolo. Learn more about the Kenya Small Business Development Centers here
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