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Curtain falls on Chora Bizna Business Plan Competition
Dateline 20th November 2007
Female entrepreneurs carry the day as proprietor of Language Solution Centre wins Kes 1 Million in Prize Money.
Jacqueline Machaka is the proud winner of the Kenya Pipeline Entrepreneur of the year Award. Jacqueline overcame the odds to emerge as the winner of the National Business Plan Competition that attracted over 5000 applications. The proprietor of a Language Solutions and Business Communications Centre in Nairobi, an ecstatic Jacqueline could not hold back tears when she was announced as the overall winner and presented with a cash award of Kes 1 Million and a Lenovo T60 Laptop at a colourful ceremony held at the KICC Amphitheatre.
The 6 month business plan competition ended on Saturday with the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs Mr. Kinuthia Murugu awarding the finalists with seed capital and laptops worth over Kes 4.5 million (US$70,000). This was in addition to Ksh1.25 million (US$19,400) of prizes awarded at the Provincial stages of the competition last month. Mr. John Kithete, the Chief Business Development Officer of Kenya Pipeline Company, Bill Stevenson, the Corporate Social Investments director, Joshua Muiru, a Director of Kenya Commercial Bank and representatives from Kenya Commercial Bank, TechnoServe and the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs were also in attendance.
“It was a humbling experience to see a different face of the youth of Kenya, one that is full of innovation and a spirit of entrepreneurship…” commented Mr. John Kithete of Kenya Pipeline Company who was also a Judge in the competition.
Chinese in Nairobi
The Kenya Pipeline Company Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 and winner of the best existing business award was Jacqueline Machaka from Nairobi. She won Kes 1 million (US$15,555) and a Lenovo laptop computer. Her business, Language Solution and Business Communications Centre is a school which focuses on teaching languages including Chinese and German. She also undertakes translation for international organizations and businesses. She aspires to set up the first internationally recognised translator training school in East Africa. The judges were impressed with the originality of the idea, the fact she has already started the business with two existing training centres (in Westlands and Hurlingham), her dynamic drive and the opportunity for growth within the business. Comments from the final round of judges included the following: “Very impressive, an eye opener.”, “This is a viable working business concept with huge potential for growth.”, “Very imaginative, will certainly add value to society.”
Student Hostel
The Kes 750,000 (US$11,666) for second prize overall and the winner of the best new business was Alice Limo from Nyanza. Her new business, New Hope Hostel will be the first hostel in Kisumu set up and designed exclusively for students. Kisumu has Maseno University, Kenya Accountancy School and the Institute of Management all within its confines. With her winnings Alice intends to secure a site, fit out and furnish a building which will become her new Student hostel. The judges like her idea because of the way it was presented and the opportunity it offered: “Good and practiced business plan presentation”, “Alice should add value and charge a premium for her accommodation”.
Stool Collector
An entrepreneur with an unusual idea collected the Lenovo laptop and Kes 500,000 (US$7,777) third prize. Paul Njunge, from Central, has experience in technical design of medical products. He had noticed that there was demand in the medical profession for an efficient way of collecting stool samples. With many thousands of people being required to provide samples every day, there is a ready market for products within this sector in Kenya. Paul has designed and produced a device which is half the price of imported products, creates half the medical waste and is manufactured in Kenya. Again, the judges were full of praise for his idea: “He has ably demonstrated skill and capacity to manage a light manufacturing industry through innovative ideas and bio plastic engineering”,”Fantastic – creative efficient light manufacturing”,”Brilliant innovation, I would certainly put my money in this business”.
Agribusiness
There were three winners in the agribusiness field all with very different ideas. Judy Gichoya from Central was the winner of the Kes 250,000 (US$3,890) prize for the best woman in Agribusiness with her idea – Mune Biogas Production and Sales. Judy uses coffee husks and animal waste to generate biogas which can be used by local people for cooking, heat and lighting. Whilst the biogas is being generated, the heat emitted is used to heat green houses to grow vegetables more efficiently. The judges were impressed with her presentation and idea and felt that it deserved the support of the Believe Begin Become competition and its sponsors.
The leading male agribusiness entrant was Kizito Wafula from Western who wins Kes 250,000 (US$3,890) for his business Kipa Dairy Ltd. Kizito’s business, based near Bungoma is a milk processing and packaging plant producing fresh milk, yoghurt and sour milk. He recognised a lack of milk supply in Western and intends increase the supply with his quality, pasteurised milk. The judges were certain of his winning credentials with one commenting: “What a great guy! I know he will succeed. This program was made for him.”
The winner of the Lenovo laptop for the most innovative Agribusiness was Ogada Disemba from Nyanza. His Vermicom Composting System was one of the more unusual submissions. His plan is to create ecologically friendly fertiliser in the sugar belt using worms to digest organic waste. He will sell the worms casts as fertiliser and also breed and sell worms for farmers. 600 worms would generate 60Kg of fertiliser in one month on one metre squared of ground. The judges thought the plan was viable and unique within the agribusiness sector.
Services and ICT
The winning overall Services sector business plan was submitted by Vivien Wamalwa from Coast. Her business, Safari Hunters Kenya, has already started operation and has won her an award of Kes 250,000 (US$3,890). Her company is a safari and holiday company, and in the last 2 months since she started operation she has already taken a number of customers on successful safaris as well as conducting two very successful honeymoons judging by the feedback from the honeymooners themselves. The judges were impressed with her presentation and thought that her business had “Great potential”.
The winner of Kes 250,000 (US$3,890) for the best ICT business was Lucas Akach from Nyanza. The business, Excel Computers Resource centre was set up as a resource for students and teachers. In addition to being a cyber café, Lucas will also use the facility to train people in computer skills. He was awarded high marks from the judges for being a positive personality and entrepreneur and submitting a “solid business proposal”.
The winner of the Lenovo laptop for most innovative ICT business went to Wilson Omollo from Coast. His business, Syafrique Technologies (www.syafrique.com) provides internet and communication services to large and small businesses in addition to supplying open source operating software to improve their operating systems. One judge commented that “open source software offers and provides efficient solutions and is a great investment opportunity”.
Kenyan manufacturing
The Kes 250,000 (US$3,890) prize for best light manufacturing business went to Irene Yawezee from Nyanza. Her sanitary products business, Good Shade, had two features which impressed the judges. Firstly she had already demonstrated that her all-in-one combined panty and panty-liner products could be manufactured, and displayed them at the presentation. Secondly the judges were impressed with the assistance that Irene would be giving the women in lower income sectors of the country by supplying them with affordable, reusable sanitary towels. Comments from the judges included: “Great idea” and “a brilliant plan which needs directing to the low income segment”.
The Kes 250,000 (US$3,890) prize for the most innovative business plan went to Maurice Kitana from Eastern. His start up business, Inov Technologies, will be undertaking the manufacturing of LPG gas detection and alarm systems. With the increasing use of LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) as a cooking system in Kenya, Maurice had noticed that levels of safety in the home was falling. With imported detectors expensive and not widely available, Maurice who is currently a secondary school maths teacher, has decided to design and manufacture the Kenyan made detector for the home and small business user. The judges thought that it was an innovative idea which would be a great help to households by improving safety in kitchens around the country.
ASAL (Arid and Semi Arid Lands)
The Kes 25,000 (US$3,890) prize for best business plan submitted from an Arid and Semi Arid Land was from Abindoor Jirma from Isiolo in Eastern. His business, Isiolo Reptile Conservation, Education and Tourism Centre is intended to house a number of crocodiles, lizards and tortoises in an enclosure en route to Samburu National Park. He intends to have an educational facility for children as well as food and other facilities for tourists to use. After putting a sign post on the road outside his plot, he found that tourists stopped even though the business had not yet been set up. The judges made a wealth of comments including: “Excellent for ASAL eco tourism, and it will need scaling up.”, “Excellent, encouraging business idea. This can open up the remote Isiolo market to more young entrepreneurs”, ”Innovative idea which adds value to the community and creates economic wealth for entrepreneurs”.
Community
A late addition to the raft of awards was the Kes 250,000 (US$3,890) prize for the best business plan which will also assist the local community. Remirisha Ligulu from Western won this award for her Dairy business. The dairy will assist local community producers and customers by processing and packing fresh milk for them. Once again the judges had nothing but praise for the community-minded entrepreneur: “Ligulu is a natural entrepreneur. She knows what she is doing and has a very promising future.”, “Ligulu has a good idea and presentation. She’s experienced in the business.”, “Very realistic and practical, seems very honest and capable. I would like to see her earn a prize.”, “Ligulu’s business plan is real, ongoing and deserves special mention.”
Notes to editors:
About Chora Bizna:
The Ministry of State for Youth Affairs and TechnoServe Kenya supported by the Kenya Pipeline Company, Lenovo and Kenya Commercial Bank have joined forces to promote entrepreneurship and private sector development in Kenya through a Business Plan Competition called Chora Bizna - Believe Begin Become. The program is designed, managed and executed by TechnoServe on behalf of the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs.
The competition was launched on 12th of April 2007 and since then has reached thousands of young people in Kenya. Chora Bizna held road shows for tens of thousands of young people in 23 towns across the country and as a result, over 5100 young people applied for the competition. Chora Bizna short listed 300 of these for 8 days of intensive training and coaching on how to improve their plans and teamed them up with local business mentors. After a second round of judging, the top 100 finalists presented their plans to a panel of judges made up of venture capitalists and successful Kenyan entrepreneurs. 13 of these were then selected to receive various cash awards among them the Kenya pipeline Company Entrepreneur of the Year Award worth Kes 1 Million that was won by Jacqueline Machaka of Nairobi
About TechnoServe:
TechnoServe helps entrepreneurial men and women in the developing world to build businesses that provide jobs, income and economic opportunity. Since its founding in 1968, the U.S.-based non-profit has helped to create or improve more than 1,500 businesses, benefiting millions of people in 30 countries. TechnoServe is currently working to build and expand businesses in Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Swaziland, Uganda, Ghana, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia and India. TechnoServe was recognized as one of the world's ""Outstanding Social Entrepreneurs"" by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
For further information please contact:
Wamuyu Mahinda (Programme Manager) on: wmahinda@technoserve.or.ke
Moses Kimani on: mkimani@technoserve.or.ke
Joan Wekesa on: jwekesa@technoserve.or.ke
James Potter on: jamespotter@technoserve.or.ke
Tel: 254 (020) 3754333/5/7
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