Growth and new business through mentorship in East Africa

CTS partner African Women in Agribusiness Network started their mentorship programme in the fall of 2014, January 2015 the mentorship couples started their journey and the last concluding session was held in November in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Led by coordination teams in all three chapters the graduating couples were happy with their achievements some having grown their business, introduced new business and others grown as leaders. One of the graduating mentees Monica in AWAN- Kenya chapter shared during the evaluation session that the mentorship programme was perfect for her personally and professionally, she has fulfilled her goal of being full-time and financially stable through agribusiness with a focus on how to manage the farm, how to meet and managed the workers. In total 5 couples in each chapter graduated and 5 new ones in each chapter has been matched for the second run.

For AWAN as an organisation the programme has been a very good addition and has added new members as well as new structure into how to make networking sustainable, structured and valuable for all involved. The first cycle has also meant some challenges specifically relate to communication and commitment where some have been sorted through-out and others creating an action plan going forward. The mentorship programme will continue in all three chapters and led solely by AWAN.

The East African secretariat has also mentored the re-vitalized Rwanda chapter coaching them into a more formalized establishment and on running their own services as well as connecting them to the rest of East Africa. The Rwanda chapter are getting ready to launch their first mentorship round for members early next year.

For more information contact Sofie Wikander

Read about the launch of a new mentorship programme in Ethiopia here