Author Archives: MeAtcLOUD

KWFT CUSTOMERS GRADUATE FROM STRATHMORE BUSINESS SCHOOL

On Wednesday, 2nd July 2025, a momentous milestone was marked at Strathmore Business School as KWFT customers graduated from the Family Business Executive Programme; a transformative initiative themed “Governance and Succession Planning for Family-owned SMEs in East Africa.”

The programme, financed by Oikocredit and the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) aligned with KWFT’s ongoing mission to empower clients beyond financial services by building capacity and business resilience through strategic partnerships. In collaboration with Strathmore Business School, the selected KWFT clients, many of them leading women-owned, multi-generational family enterprises were equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to professionalize and sustain their businesses.

The training also addressed the unique challenges faced by family-run enterprises, including informal decision-making, conflict management and succession planning.“We trained on governance, leadership and succession to provide the practical tools to manage their businesses more professionally, manage conflict and prepare for generational continuity,” Raymond Mutura , Course Leader ,Strathmore Business School.

The graduation event brought together participating families and special guests for a day of reflection, celebration and inspiration. The dignitaries represented various teams; Kariuki Kitabu- KWFT Ag. Managing Director; Carol Mulwa- Regional Director Africa at Oikocredit; Alvin Ochieng -AGF and Strathmore University Business School faculty; Dr Caesar Mwangi Executive Dean, Muriithi Njogu- Director of Support Services; Shadrack Mwangangi- Director of Executive Education and Raymond Mutura- Course Leader. 

In his address, KWFT MD Kariuki Kitabu said, “At KWFT, our mission has always gone beyond offering credit. We believe that true empowerment lies not just in access to finance, but in building internal capacity, in strengthening systems and in preparing for the future. It is in this spirit that KWFT has continued to champion support for family-owned enterprises, many of which form the backbone of Kenya’s SME sector.

The ceremony featured key notes regarding the success of the program’s efforts to building sustainable, structured and visionary enterprises.

Carol Mulwa, Regional Director Africa – Oikocredit expressed pride in the family businesses’ bold step toward growth and legacy. She also expressed gratitude to the program’s partners stating that the graduation was a clear testament to the power of partnerships.

“By supporting these SMEs, we help de-risk these enterprises and unlock their potential to scale and create lasting impact,” added Alvin Ochieng, Capacity Development Assistant Officer AGF.

A highlight of the event was a heartfelt message from Agnes Nzau, one of the KWFT graduands,“I am grateful to KWFT for the financial support and empowerment it has provided over the years. This program has taught us invaluable lessons about managing our family business and I truly appreciate how KWFT continues to uplift women in business.”

As the graduates were awarded certificates of completion they carried a new mindset, a strengthened foundation and a collective belief that the future of their family businesses is intentional, empowered and built to last.

For KWFT, this graduation reflects a deeper commitment to its clients both as a financial partner but as a mentor of growth. Through strategic partnerships with development organizations and higher learning institutions like Strathmore, KWFT continues to provide its clients with access to knowledge, structure and networks that shape generational impact.

KWFT JOINS INDUSTRY LEADERS AT 2025 KBA GOLF TOURNAMENT

The 2025 Interbank Games officially kicked off on 11th April with Golf Tournament held at Vetlab Sports Club in Nairobi. Organized by the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), the event brought together top golfers from across the banking sector.

Themed “Each Tee-Off for a Tree: Bound for Conservation,” the tournament blended the love of sport with a powerful call to action on sustainability. The initiative encouraged players and institutions to take active roles in environmental conservation one swing, one tree at a time.

KWFT Ag Managing Director, Mr. Kariuki Kitabu, joined fellow industry leaders on the green, representing the institution’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and collective industry efforts. The tournament was a celebration of sportsmanship, partnership and responsibility toward a greener future.

As a strong advocate for environmental sustainability, KWFT continues to embed conservation into its operations. Through green financing solutions ;clean energy, water harvesting and eco-friendly agricultural practices, KWFT remains steadfast in its mission to empower communities while championing environmental stewardship, in line with global sustainability goals.

KWFT AND NAZAVA PARTNER FOR SAFE WATER ACCESS

On March 18 2025 KWFT and Nazava Water Filters officially signed an MOU to enhance access to safe drinking water for KWFT customers across Kenya. The MOU was signed during an official side event of the State Visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands to Kenya, marking a significant milestone in efforts to provide affordable and sustainable household water solutions.

Nazava Water Filters, a global leader in household water treatment technology, empowers families by providing innovative filtration systems that can purify their well, tap, river or rain water and make it safe to drink. These filters eliminate the need to boil water, reducing household expenses on fuel, saving time, significantly lowering carbon emissions.

Through this partnership, KWFT customers will have the opportunity to purchase Nazava Water Filters through a flexible financing plan. This will ensure that even low-income households can access clean and safe drinking water preventing the risk of water borne diseases.

KWFT, reaffirmed the institution’s dedication to improving the livelihoods of its customers. “This partnership underscores KWFT’s commitment to enhancing the dignity of our members by providing them access to financing to purchase safer and more affordable drinking water solution” Benson Kitabu, KWFT Managing Director.

Lieselotte Heederik, Co-founder and Director of Nazava Water Filters, highlighted the impact of the collaboration, stating, “We are proud to strengthen our partnership with KWFT, an institution that has consistently strived to improve the dignity of women and promote their financial inclusion. Through this partnership, we are one step closer to our goal of reaching 5 million people with safe drinking water access by 2030.”

Ahead of World Water Day marked on March 22nd, KWFT reaffirms its commitment to ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water for all. Water is essential to life and global action is needed to preserve, protect and provide it sustainably. Through this collaboration, access to clean water has been made possible, advancing SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 3 (Good health and wellbeing) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

KWFT CHAMPIONS GOVERNANCE IN SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING AT GCNK COP TRAINING

On February 20, 2025, KWFT participated in the Communication on Progress (CoP) training hosted by the Global Compact Network Kenya (GCNK). The session was aimed at enhancing corporate accountability, transparency and impact measurement, focused on preparing businesses for the 2025 CoP reporting framework. It also brought together various industry business leaders for insightful discussions.

Representing KWFT, Juliana Wanjiru, General Manager – Innovation, Marketing & Communication shared insights on Governance in CoP Reporting and showcased how effective governance strengthens both CoP reporting, ESG initiatives, long-term business resilience and positive community impact. She also highlighted some of the emerging trends in Governance within Sustainability.

Her presentation showcased KWFT’s commitment to robust governance structures, emphasizing the institution’s proactive board engagement, comprehensive risk management, engagements with ESG Champions and seamless integration of sustainability policies into its core business strategy. 

As a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, KWFT’s underscores its dedication to responsible business practices, aligning with the Ten Principles and contributing to national and global sustainability goals. 

Through proactive board engagement and robust policy frameworks, KWFT ensures accountability in its operations, reinforcing its mission of empowering women while promoting ethical business practices.

KWFT AND WATER.ORG EMPOWERS STAFF THROUGH WASH TRAINING.

In commitment to advancing SDG 6 of providing affordable water and sanitation solutions to communities, KWFT staff participated in a specialized “Trainer of Trainers” (ToT) course at KWFT Centre, Nairobi. The training was organized in partnership with Water.org through the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) program and facilitated by Impact Africa Consulting. 

Taking place on 17th and 18th February 2025 the training aimed to strengthen internal capacity, enabling the ToTs to cascade knowledge to their teams and enhance KWFT’s efforts in promoting WASH solutions across Kenya.

The curriculum focused on equipping staff with comprehensive product knowledge, effective sales strategies, customer engagement techniques and after-sales support methods tailored for WASH products. Key learnings included understanding the functionality and maintenance of WASH products such as water purifiers and rainwater harvesting systems, assessing customer needs to match them with suitable solutions, using digital tools for portfolio management and improving communication to address customer concerns and reduce stigma around loan-financed purchases.

The trainees engaged in hands-on workshops, role-playing exercises, practical demonstrations, strengthening their ability to promote, sell and manage WASH products effectively while ensuring customer satisfaction and long-term sustainability.

Ultimately, this goes a long way in curbing critical societal challenges that disproportionately affect women and low-income households, limiting their socio-economic mobility. Access to safe water and proper sanitation also reduces the time spent fetching water, especially for women and children, allowing more time for education and economic activities. Rainwater harvesting systems and eco-friendly sanitation solutions contribute to climate resilience and environmental sustainability.