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Women Social Entrepreneurship Institute program

The Women Social Entrepreneurship Institute (WSEI) is a program launched by the French Red Cross in partnership with the Kenya Red Cross Society’s Innovations Unit (I.O.Me 001). The project aims to empower youth and women in Mombasa with digital and social entrepreneurship skills to address unemployment issues in Kenya.

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The program has had a series of Info-Sessions in January 2023 to disseminate and market the program to potential beneficiaries in Mombasa County. A total of 95 women applied for the program and 33 were selected for a pitch session. The pitch session was facilitated by Swahili Pot Hub Foundation to equip the selected women with good pitching skills.
The pitch session covered topics such as scripting a pitch, solving affordable problems, explaining the benefits of a solution to various potential buyers, identifying the target market and coming up with clear growth plans. The 33 women later faced a jury to pitch their ideas and products for selection into the second phase.


The Jury was comprised of staff from the Kenya International Chamber of Commerce, Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Swahilipot Hub Foundation, Kenya Red Cross, and French Red Cross. The pitches were graded based on dedication, entrepreneurial skills and potential impact.
A total of 25 women-owned ideas were selected for the second phase of the program.