Enwealth Foundation graduates first cohort of SME entrepreneurs under SEED Programme

The graduation ceremony, held on Saturday at the Enwealth Business Centre in Nairobi, marked the completion of the programme’s first cohort and the beginning of a model the Enwealth Foundation plans to run on a recurring basis.

The programme is built on the premise that limited access to finance is only one of the challenges holding back Kenyan SMEs, with gaps in business management, leadership, governance and financial discipline also contributing to the failure of promising enterprises to grow and scale.

SMEs account for a significant share of employment and economic activity in Kenya. However, many small businesses struggle to survive beyond their early years, with entrepreneurs often facing a combination of limited capital, weak planning structures, inadequate financial management and challenges in human resource and operational management.

The Enwealth Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Enwealth Financial Services Limited, established the SEED Programme under its economic empowerment portfolio after identifying the need to complement financial support with practical business knowledge and mentorship.

Over the 12 weeks, participants undertook training in business planning and enterprise growth strategy, financial literacy and wealth stewardship, risk management, human resource management, sales and distribution, and public procurement.

The curriculum also covered regulatory compliance and licensing, areas that many small business owners often have to navigate with limited formal guidance. Participants were further introduced to digital tools and basic cybersecurity awareness, reflecting the growing importance of technology in improving competitiveness and business resilience.

The programme drew facilitators from the fields of finance, human resources, governance, branding and enterprise strategy, including practitioners with extensive experience advising organisations in Kenya and across the region.

Simon Wafubwa, Founder and CEO of Enwealth Financial Services, said the programme was designed to address the capabilities that determine whether businesses can withstand challenges and achieve sustainable growth.

“Capital without capability tends to produce the same outcome we have seen for years—businesses that start with promise and stall within a few years. We chose to invest in the entrepreneur first: in their planning discipline, their governance, their leadership. That is what determines whether a business survives its first difficult season, and whether it is still standing in ten years,” Wafubwa said.

For graduating entrepreneur John Gitahi, the programme provided practical lessons that changed how he approaches running his business.

“I came in with a business that was surviving month to month. What changed was not just what I learned but how I now think about running it—the financial discipline, the planning, the confidence to make decisions I used to avoid. I am leaving with a plan I actually trust,” Gitahi said.

Programme facilitator Eva Muraya said many entrepreneurs possess the technical ability to operate their businesses but lack the leadership and governance structures needed to sustain growth.

“Most entrepreneurs we meet are capable operators. What is often missing is the leadership and governance layer—how they make decisions under pressure, manage people, and build structures that can outlast them. That is what separates a business from a livelihood,” Muraya said.

She added that a strong brand is built from within an organisation and depends on more than marketing or visual identity.

According to Muraya, factors such as people management, cash-flow management, operational efficiency, pricing, inventory, product packaging, accessibility, leadership and governance all contribute to either strengthening or undermining a business brand.

The graduation comes against the backdrop of a challenging operating environment for Kenyan SMEs, characterised by financing constraints, regulatory and compliance demands and increasing pressure to adopt digital tools.

By focusing on leadership, governance, financial discipline, business strategy and mentorship, the SEED Programme seeks to equip entrepreneurs with practical capabilities that can help their enterprises move beyond survival and achieve sustainable growth.

The Enwealth Foundation says it intends to continue the programme through subsequent cohorts as part of its broader economic empowerment efforts.