Christine Kagendo 
SheTrades Workshop
- ITC SheTrades, Visa, and Absa Bank host Kenya workshop to equip women and youth entrepreneurs with digital and financial skills;
The International Trade Centre’s (ITC) SheTrades Initiative, Visa, and Absa Bank have concluded a two-day capacity-building workshop in Nairobi aimed at strengthening the digital, financial and entrepreneurial capabilities of women and youth-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
The Kenya workshop forms part of the broader SheTrades x Visa regional programme, designed to empower women and youth entrepreneurs across Sub-Saharan Africa through blended learning, combining in-person sessions with self-paced online modules.
Following successful engagements in South Africa earlier this year, the programme has now expanded to Kenya, bringing together entrepreneurs, industry experts and ecosystem partners for practical and interactive training sessions.
Women own close to 60% of MSMEs across Sub-Saharan Africa yet continue to face barriers such as limited access to finance, digital tools, business networks and market insights.
This regional programme directly addresses these gaps through curated training on artificial intelligence for business, digital payments, financial literacy, export readiness and broader entrepreneurial skills.
“This programme reinforces our commitment to supporting women and youth entrepreneurs with the tools, networks and knowledge they need to compete in today’s digital economy,” said Judith Fessehaie, Head of SheTrades Initiative, ITC, “We are delighted to bring this initiative to Kenya in collaboration with Visa and Absa Bank, and to continue supporting entrepreneurs through practical and accessible learning opportunities.”
Visa, through its She’s Next initiative, continues to drive financial and digital inclusion for female entrepreneurs across Africa. By linking the programme to the broader She’s Next community and the SheTrades network, participants benefit from ongoing support beyond theworkshop.
“At Visa, we believe inclusive economies are stronger economies,” said John Njoroge, Country Manager, Visa Kenya. “Through this partnership with ITC SheTrades and Absa Bank, we are helping women and youth entrepreneurs access the digital tools, financial skills and market opportunities needed to build resilient and competitive businesses. We look forward to engaging further with the entrepreneurs who joined us in Nairobi.”
Safaricom delivered specialized learning modules focused on the practical application of AI for small businesses, covering digital tools, automation opportunities and productivity solutions tailored for MSMEs.
The programme will continue to support participating entrepreneurs through follow-on coaching, access to digital learning resources and opportunities within the wider SheTrades community.
Entrepreneurs across Kenya are encouraged to stay engaged with upcoming activities and take advantage of the tools and networks available through the SheTrades x Visa regional initiative.
