Maseno University has entered into a collaboration to advance entrepreneurial activities in Kisumu and Homa Bay counties.
Through Enactus (Entrepreneurial Action within Us), the university will collaborate with Valdosta State University (VSU) from the USA and Rural Empowerment and Development Innovations (REDI) to roll out the programmes.
The collaboration was created during a four-day partnership workshop held at Maseno University and Katonde Village, Homa Bay County Kenya. The workshop was organised by REDI in association with Maseno University Enactus team.
The collaborators will be working with Wakonyre Women Group (WWG) based in Katonde Village in Homa Bay County, which runs a poultry project. The group was formed in 2006 and so far, has 20 active members who are fully registered. The poultry project was initiated in January 2013. The women realise at least six crates of eggs in a day.
In the collaboration, Maseno University Enactus team will offer technical support for the project in terms of project evaluation and assessment and report writing.
The main goal of the collaboration is to ensure the group increases the number of eggs sold per day and to become the leading eggs producer in Nyanza region. The collaboration also aims at impacting new and good poultry management skills to the women such as data collection to improve the project.
Enactus Maseno University Faculty Advisor Charles Aloo says that the collaboration is key because it goes hand in hand with the mission of the organisation which is transforming the lives of communities through the positive power of business and entrepreneurial action.
“We will offer technical support which includes report writing, facilitating information sharing, project assessment and monitoring and evaluation,” he explains
REDI’s founder, Dr Levy Odera says that they chose to collaborate with Maseno University Enactus because of proximity and access to the WWG.
“The women can come to Maseno University once in a month to use facilities such as the internet to communicate with our team in the United States of America,” he added.
The Maseno University – Enactus team was launched in April 2006 and has since implemented 19 successful educational community outreach projects in Vihiga, Kisumu, Migori and Siaya Counties which are in line with their mission of transforming the lives of communities through the positive power of business.