On Wednesday, the M-Pesa Foundation unveiled Wezesha Mama, a nationwide initiative to give registered women’s organisations the tools, resources, and chances they require to expand their enterprises and enhance their standard of living.
The announcement, which coincides with the Foundation’s 15th anniversary of changing lives in Kenya, was made during a function hosted by Mombasa Sports Club as part of the ongoing M-PESA Sokoni Festival.
Aims of Wezesha Mama
Wezesha Mama aims to empower more than 500 women’s organisations nationwide by providing training in digital and financial literacy, assistance with business planning and development, marketing, branding, and product enhancement, and grants for the best-performing groups.
“Wezesha Mama is not just a programme, it is a movement to equip women-led groups with the tools they need to succeed. When women rise, entire communities rise, and we are proud to be walking this journey with them, starting at the coast and spreading across all 47 counties,” said Nicholas Nganga, Chairman of the M-Pesa Foundation.
The top three organisations from five different regions of the country will get funds of KES 500,000, KES 300,000, and KES 200,000 at the conclusion of the 12-month program to support their group’s operations.
Additionally, participating organisations will join the M-PESA Mama Network, a national network of female entrepreneurs dedicated to mutual development and peer education.
Wezesha Mama expands on the M-Pesa Foundation’s prior collaborations with organisations like Hand in Hand East Africa and Rose Women Foundation, which have facilitated access to business training and funding for thousands of women.
As part of the ongoing M-PESA at 18 festivities, M-PESA Sokoni is a two-month campaign highlighting the good impact M-PESA has had on millions of Kenyans and its revolutionary role in the country’s digital and financial landscape. The M-PESA Sokoni Festival will conclude at the Mombasa Sports Club Grounds on Saturday, June 7th, marking the end of the coastal tour.
Launch of Sokoni Festival to mark M-Pesa’s 18th anniversary, Safaricom’s 25th anniversary
The 25th anniversary of Safaricom PLC and the 18-year journey of M-PESA to revolutionise Kenya’s digital and financial environment are being commemorated nationwide with the formal inauguration of the M-PESA Sokoni Festival.
The two-month campaign will highlight regional vendors nationwide and offer clients amazing discounts on gadgets, home goods, clothing, electronics, and more, both online and at live festivals.
As the campaign opens in Mombasa, customers will be able to take advantage of “deals kuruka” on a variety of products from over 150 local and national sellers.
Wezesha Mama, a programme that will teach women’s groups financial literacy and grant access to seed financing, and Safire Connect, a forum for youth empowerment through conversations on personal branding, hustle culture, and financial wellness, are among the events.
Safaricom will also host the M-PESA Africa Agents Awards and “Grow with Safaricom Businesses” conferences as part of its larger goal, which aims to equip SMEs with knowledge of sustainable business practices, operational digitisation, and digital marketing.
This initiative demonstrates Safaricom’s dedication to supporting Kenyan businesses and promoting equitable economic development.
The Mombasa Sports Club Grounds will host the M-PESA Sokoni Festival’s final stop on its coastal tour on June 7.
In order to strengthen its position as a driving force behind digital and financial inclusion, Safaricom hopes to increase consumer involvement and highlight a variety of services with this campaign, such as Ziidi MMF, Taasi Till, Fuliza ya Biashara, Pochi la Biashara, Lipa na M-PESA, Masoko, and more.