Your role as an SBN Coordinator

Private Sector is a key stakeholder in shaping a country’s food environment and ultimately the nutrition outcomes of the citizenry.  My role entails coordinating the critical food system stakeholders to advance their work to positively contribute to access affordable, safe and nutritious foods especially those that are greater risk of malnutrition: the low-income consumers.  GAIN’s vision – a world without malnutrition is pivotal in the network engagements. This is evidenced by the various projects that apply a business engagement lens in the project implementation to promote sustainability.

Your scope of work in supporting SMEs within the SBN network

SBN has got a strategic document that guides the networks activities under five pillars namely: Financing for SMEs, Technical Assistance, Policy and Advocacy, Workforce nutrition and Market and Demand. I coordinate mapping of various relevant activities to be conducted under each of the pillars. These include but not limited to conducting needs assessments of the businesses to identify the business gaps that exist among the network members. That will guide contextualizing of the capacity strengthening interventions.

Apart from that, in an aim to contribute towards achievement of SDG 5, SBN developed a women and youth empowerment strategy, that is also a strategic document in guiding the networks activities. Lastly, as a firm believer of there is strength in unity, managing partnerships and collaboration is a key aspect in supporting SMEs.  This includes working very closely with SBN line ministries and department such as Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Agriculture and Business Member organisations such as Kenya Private Sector Alliance and Kenya National Chamber of Commerce to not only strengthen capacity of the SMEs but also advocate for improved trading environment but also highlight the innovative approaches SBN members are applying.

What does success look like as a Youth working with SMEs in SBN? 

Since Kenya has got a devolved system of governance, SBN activities are not only focused at the national but also sub-national level. The network currently has got six sub-national chapters. This strategically positions SMEs in the various chapters to engage in influence formulation and implementation of policies at the county levels relating to trade but also strengthen public-private partnerships at the local levels thus addressing food and nutrition security.

Share any notable success stories / achievements that you are proud of as a young Coordinator

One of my greatest achievements as an SBN coordinator is the sensitization of multi-stakeholder platform members (County directors of relevant departments) and Members of County Assembly (MCAs) on the importance of investing in nutrition.  Through this engagement SBN members of Isiolo and Marsabit were able to understand the priority value chains of both county governments.  Further, the MCAs were able to understand the pain points of businesses in the region thus appreciated the importance of investing in nutrition through legislation. Investment in grey matter to enable optimum utilization of the infrastructure put in place. From this engagement the SMEs were also able to receive support from Ministry of Agriculture to participate in the County World Food Day but also development of the trade policy.

As we commemorate this year’s international youth day, what inspiration would you pass to young entrepreneurs in the nutrition space?

That idea that you think may not work, please start. Rome was not built in a day. All you have to do is start. Have you already started on your idea?  Keep going! There are amazing organisations ready to support the innovative idea you have around nutrition such as GAIN and SBN!

Always remember #nutritionandprofits is possible.