Past Programs

In collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Central Africa Building Society (CABS), SME Support Centre implemented a nationwide program focused on financial literacy, access to finance, and business development support for 1,000 women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) across Zimbabwe.

The assignment consisted of two key components; the development of a tailored value proposition for WSMEs, and the delivery of targeted training designed to strengthen their financial capabilities and improve access to finance. The training equipped women entrepreneurs with practical knowledge in budgeting, bookkeeping, savings, accessing credit, and effectively using financial products and services to grow and formalize their businesses.

Delivered across 20 districts, the program not only enhanced the financial literacy of participants but also promoted entrepreneurship, deepened financial inclusion, and improved the resilience and growth potential of women-led enterprises. By focusing on both strategy and skills, the initiative contributed to long-term economic empowerment for women entrepreneurs throughout Zimbabwe.

In partnership with the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM), SME Support Centre implemented a nationwide financial literacy and capability program under the World Bank-funded Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Scaling (FInES) Project.

This initiative aimed to increase access to financial services and promote entrepreneurship among underserved groups including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), youth, women, farmers, and members of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).

Our role involved the design, development, and delivery of tailored financial literacy training programs targeting at least 20,000 MSMEs and 5,000 employees from both public and private institutions. Through this program, we equipped participants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed financial decisions, manage resources effectively, and plan for long-term financial security.

By strengthening financial capabilities at both the enterprise and individual levels, this initiative contributed to Malawi’s broader financial inclusion agenda and supported the economic empowerment of marginalized communities across the country.

In partnership with the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF), SME Support Centre is facilitating the development of income-generating enterprises for civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kenya.

This initiative empowers communities to take charge of their own development by creating sustainable business models. Our support includes co-creating tailored business plans, conducting market analyses, providing financial projections, and offering implementation strategies.

Through capacity-building sessions and ongoing mentorship, we aim to equip these organizations with the skills needed to secure investment and achieve long-term financial sustainability.

Our commitment to bolstering the Kenyan business landscape includes supporting Kenya Climate Ventures (KCV) portfolio SMEs from five key counties. In Bungoma, Nyahururu, Murang’a, Kiambu, Machakos, and Nairobi, we’re actively engaged in helping SMEs develop and actualize detailed sales plans. We work closely with these SMEs, fostering growth, and ensuring that their potential reaches new heights. Let’s work together to create opportunities and unleash the potential of Kenyan entrepreneurs in these thriving communities.

We are proud to introduce our collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Kenya. This program was dedicated to enhancing the capacity of resilient women enterprises in the dairy and camel meat value chains in the regions of Marsabit and Isiolo.

Our dedicated team provides crucial technical support to these women-led enterprises. Importantly, we work in partnership with local youth identified by the enterprises, ensuring that our interventions have a sustainable, long-lasting impact beyond our direct engagement.

Let’s work together to empower women in the ASAL region, strengthen local economies, and provide better nutrition through sustainable dairy and camel meat value chains. Together, we can create a brighter future for these communities.

The SME Support Centre partnered with Conservation International to empower communities in drought-affected regions. In Project TWENDE (Towards Ending Drought Emergencies), our objective is to empower communities in drought-affected regions by supporting enterprises in the honey value chain. We took a holistic approach to address the challenges faced by these communities. Our efforts encompass:

• Enterprise Development
• Market Development
• Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

Unilever Kenya in partnership with the SME Support Centre implemented the “Emerge Supplier Acceleration Program” which aimed at increasing Unilever’s procurement spend on diverse businesses. The program was designed to support MSMEs, particularly those led by women and persons with disabilities. Across two cohorts, the program focused on businesses in  various sectors such as packaging materials, food ingredients, capex maintenance, repairs and operations (MRO), and specific business services. Through capacity-building and business development support, participants were positioned to become key suppliers for multinationals.

SME Support Centre Limited partnered with Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) on an initiative dedicated to nurturing climate technologies and innovative business models. The goal was to drive the commercialization and scaling up of climate-related companies, resulting in the creation of quality jobs, wider access to low-carbon energy sources, enhanced community and household resilience to climate change, and a multitude of environmental and social benefits.

SME Support Centre Limited partnered with Africa 118 and NORAD Kenya on an initiative aimed at equipping and supporting African SMEs to achieve and sustain success in their businesses by providing them with a comprehensive package of digital tools and expertise (Digital LaunchPad) to enhance their competitiveness and access global markets.
The program is offering over 3,000 SMEs in; Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ghana with:

• Financial literacy training
• Digital marketing training
• Investment readiness and venture building training
• Digital marketing campaign
• Professional website
• E-commerce + payment integration
• Access to financing
• Accelerator program

SME Support Centre Limited supported KEPSA and Mastercard in delivering a training and mentorship program that impacted just under 10,000 SMEs for a period of 1 year. The key components of the program were:

• Delivered various trainings on ALL aspects business
• Delivered various mentorship sessions with key industry leaders
• Delivered an access to finance coaching program

SME Support Centre Limited partnered with GIZ, INTERGRATION and MERU GREENS EPZ LIMITED on an initiative aimed at supporting young agribusiness SMEs to grow and scale their business by working closely with an anchor corporate partner.