Kenya

Internet Bar is working with Anne Nyambura to launch MCJP initiatives in Kenya. Our particular focus in Kenya is to identify women with entrepreneurial promise, who are also negatively impacted by poverty, health matters and/or domestic violence. In many areas women are the primary bread-winners for large families, while due to political, social and economic issues their ability to earn livable incomes is often very restricted. At the same time there are many women--and groups of women and men--who create very marketable goods that could have a global market if market access were present.

Among the initial findings based on Ms. Nyambura's research on the ground in Kenya are:

Africa and Kenya in particular is still a long way from affordable internet access to the local 'mwananchi'(citizen). Kenya has 6 internet gateways. In addition there are 27 internet service providers (ISP) currently. However with this infrastructure, the availability of internet service to the middle class is still not affordable. There is approximately a population of 35,000 (this needs to be researched), nationwide who have internet in their homes. The use of this service is still not easily accessible to the users due to cost.

In order to develop e-commerce in Kenya the service must be affordable to the majority. This majority includes the local 'mwananchi', who up to now does not have the culture of buying online. Organizations and individuals still heavily rely on hard copies of invoices for goods, which are acquired physically as opposed to shopping online. This could be due to the following reasons: not all the sellers with good deals have websites and two, we do not have that culture yet and thirdly, the internet service is not affordable for home consumption.

There are, however, now a few websites with goods that people can buy from. These mainly include gift items that are marketable with the 6 million Kenyans living abroad. The main target market is still not the local Kenyan market. The Kenyans abroad include a population that is more familiar with the use of the credit cards and making purchases online.

Some women's groups are ahead of the curve, however, with websites and established markets abroad (www.begakwabega.com). A very impressive group of women in one of the slum areas of Nairobi is the Bega kwa Bega project. This group is actually meeting the market needs of baskets, bead work jewelry, dolls and other fabric items, and availing them to markets in Japan, Canada, USA and Italy.

Bega kwa Bega has used some help from the Catholic missionaries working and living among the slum dwellers. The missionaries have established partnerships with markets abroad. However, for this business to flourish, the manager takes two days before he checks his emails. This is usually from a cyber cafe in town or from cybers in a neighboring estate to the slum. This therefore means taking public transport which is not only cumbersome, but also takes his time away from managing the unit.

Setting up internet facilities is not only expensive in terms of the capital needed to acquire the equipment, but also a security risk for the equipment, not only in the slum area, but in most places too. Another issue with this women's group is that many of these women have been rehabilitated from prostitution and do not have literacy skills, let alone computer literacy. Therefore they rely heavily on the employment of a manager who represents them in trade fairs and liaises with their markets, on their behalf.

Internet Bar is working to bring the necessary technology, education and business expertise to groups like Bega kwa Bega in Kenya so that some of the challenges addressed above can be alleviated. Ideally, the MCJP projects intend that local artisans, craftspersons and others with good to sell can directly access, use and profit from e-commerce. However, where interested third parties such as the professional managers and missionaries mentioned above can play valuable roles--especially transition-based roles--we support their participation.