By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 9 December 2025 - Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron has intensified his constituency’s shift toward a skills-driven enterprise model, targeting youth groups, women collectives, and emerging start-ups through structured capacity-building programmes.
In a region where micro and small enterprises often face gaps in managerial skills and financial literacy, the initiative marks a strategic effort to anchor economic growth in human capital development.
Under Dr Oron’s oversight, the Kisumu Central Uwezo Fund Committee, led by Chairperson Madam Norah, convened a one-day training for officials representing 35 approved groups across the constituency’s six wards.
The workshop focused on project management, business planning, AGPO access, and sustainable growth strategies, preparing beneficiaries ahead of the upcoming Uwezo Fund cheque issuance.
Speaking during the session, Dr Oron framed capacity building as the backbone of long-term enterprise survival noting that financial injections alone cannot transform local businesses without the right managerial competencies.
“Our priority is not just to release funds, but to ensure that every group has the skills to turn those funds into sustainable income,” Dr Oron said.
“When our youth and women understand planning, markets, and project execution, their capacity to grow their enterprises increases dramatically.”
From a business-development standpoint, the training aligns with best practices in microfinance, where pre-funding preparation often improves loan performance and reduces default risks.
And in equipping groups with core business skills before capital disbursement, the programme aims to strengthen operational discipline, enhance accountability, and foster long-term organisational resilience.
Madam Norah, who chaired the training, emphasised that the objective extends beyond compliance requirements.
“This is about empowering groups with knowledge that allows them to operate like real businesses,” she said. “We want every team—from youth innovators to women enterprises—to feel confident in managing projects, bidding for opportunities, and scaling their ideas.”
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Analysts note that combining financial access with technical training often accelerates start-up maturation, especially in informal economies where entrepreneurs frequently operate without structured business frameworks.
For Kisumu Central, where youth unemployment and underemployment remain significant challenges, positioning local groups to tap into procurement markets—especially through AGPO—could unlock new income streams and strengthen community-level supply chains.
The session also signals a broader shift toward enterprise formalisation.
In encouraging groups to adopt business-planning tools, track expenses, and evaluate project outcomes, the program supports the transition from informal collective activities to structured micro-enterprises capable of attracting investment and participating in public procurement.
Dr Oron reiterated that the ultimate goal is wealth creation at the grassroots.
“Our constituency cannot rely on conventional employment alone,” he noted.
“We must build a generation of entrepreneurs who can create opportunities, not just search for them. Capacity building is the first step on that journey.”
As the Uwezo Fund moves toward cheque issuance, the trained groups are expected to implement the learned strategies immediately—strengthening governance, enhancing project viability, and improving the probability of scaling their ventures.
If consistently executed, Dr Oron’s skills-first model could position Kisumu Central as a constituency where micro-enterprises are not only funded but trained to thrive—an approach that may influence how grassroots enterprise development is structured in other regions.
