Sanara backs 330 creative enterprises with Ksh1.2B financing drive

The programme, supported by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by HEVA Fund, SNDBX Ubuntu, Baraza Media Lab and GoDown Arts Centre, has also provided grants to more than 3,000 creative startups in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Turkana counties.

According to Sanara, demand for its Ota loan facilities has grown to nearly KSh4 billion, underscoring the financing gap facing creative entrepreneurs and the growing appetite for investment in the sector.

The organisation said 63 per cent of the enterprises that received financing are women-led, while about 30 per cent of beneficiaries accessed formal credit for the first time.

Speaking during the Sanara Creative Economy Learning Forum in Nairobi on Thursday, HEVA Fund Programme Manager Tabitha Masese said the programme has demonstrated that Kenya's creative industry is an investable sector when entrepreneurs are supported beyond financing.

"The creative economy is increasingly proving to be an investable sector. Our experience shows that when entrepreneurs have access to appropriate financing, business development support, technical skills and markets, they build resilient enterprises capable of creating jobs and contributing to economic growth," she said.

Masese added that the lessons from Sanara could help shape future investment strategies, financing models and public policy for the sector.

Beyond financing, the programme has invested in business development, technical skills training, market linkages, creative infrastructure mapping and policy support to strengthen the creative economy ecosystem.

Sanara said refugee creatives in Turkana have benefited from its Ota Pepea Access to Market Initiative by showcasing their products in Nairobi, securing new buyers and accessing international markets.

The programme also works with county governments to develop creative economy policy frameworks and map creative infrastructure to improve the sector's competitiveness and attract private investment.

During the forum, Sanara identified limited access to finance as the biggest challenge facing creative enterprises despite strong demand for capital. It also cited the importance of combining business development services with technical skills training, adopting blended financing models that integrate commercial loans and grants, promoting inclusive financing, and strengthening policy and creative infrastructure.

The forum brought together policymakers, investors, financial institutions, development partners and industry leaders, who called for greater collaboration to scale investment in Kenya's creative industries.

According to Sanara, Kenya's creative economy contributes more than five per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and remains one of the country's fastest-growing sectors, with significant potential to create jobs and drive inclusive economic growth.