The Biashara Pawa Dialogue Series – Eldoret Edition convened 115 entrepreneurs, role models, ecosystem builders, development partners, county representatives, and enterprise support actors in Uasin Gishu County for a dynamic and highly engaging dialogue on The Power of Mentoring in Entrepreneurship. The event brought together women and youth men entrepreneurs operating across under-represented sectors, including manufacturing and engineering, green and circular economy, agriculture and agribusiness, technology, financial services, infrastructure development, blue economy, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene). It created a vibrant learning and networking platform that spotlighted the importance of mentorship, peer learning, ecosystem support, and collaboration in strengthening entrepreneurial journeys and advancing inclusive enterprise growth.
The day’s programme was guided by Charity Mbithe (Founder & CEO, Kaizen Consultancy), who served as the Master of Ceremonies and set an energetic, interactive, and deeply intentional tone for the convening. Through her opening remarks, she positioned the event as more than a one-day gathering, but rather as a practical movement aimed at making entrepreneurship more visible, more supported, and more sustainable, particularly for women and youth navigating sectors where access, visibility, and opportunity are often uneven. The event also featured role model exhibition spaces coordinated by Eldohub, allowing participants to engage directly with entrepreneurs showcasing their products, services, and innovations.
Opening remarks helped ground the event in both local and programme-wide context. Chepkemoi Magdaline, Founder and Executive Director of Eldohub, welcomed participants and framed the conversation around mentoring the ecosystem, emphasizing the role of local innovation hubs and ecosystem enablers in opening doors for entrepreneurs through mentorship, digital inclusion, business support, and skills development. This was followed by remarks from Nduta Ndirangu of SNV, who highlighted mentoring in entrepreneurship as a strategic tool for unlocking confidence, capability, visibility, and enterprise resilience. Nelson Ajala, Multi-Country Program Manager for IYBA-SEED at SNV, then situated the event within the broader IYBA-SEED agenda, underscoring the programme’s importance in strengthening entrepreneurship and enterprise support systems for women and youth. The county perspective was brought in through Geoffrey Kiprotich, Trade Officer, Uasin Gishu County, whose remarks focused on accelerating entrepreneurship growth in the county and the importance of strengthening local enterprise ecosystems.
A central highlight of the event was the panel dialogue on The Power of Mentoring in Entrepreneurship, moderated by Susan Njoroge (Managing Director, Responsible Business Consulting – RBC). The panel brought together diverse and complementary voices from entrepreneurship, public institutions, industry support structures, and ecosystem leadership. Panelists included:
- Faith Wanjiru Kinuthia, Founder of Afrostyled Crafts Centre;
- Alton Kipchoge Kogo, Regional Coordinator, Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA);
- Chepkemoi Magdaline, Founder and Executive Director of Eldohub.
Richard Opar, Regional Coordinator, Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations (KNFJKA) and Secretary General, Uasin Gishu County Jua Kali Association, also addressed participants during the event, where he highlighted the work of the association in supporting entrepreneurs through representation, advocacy, linkages, and collective growth platforms. In his remarks, he shared practical lessons for entrepreneurs, encouraging them to remain consistent, speak confidently and intentionally about what they do, join associations and networks that can strengthen their visibility and access to opportunities, maintain discipline in their work, build trust with customers, keep learning and improving their skills, and embrace collaboration as a pathway to growth.
Through rich discussion and audience engagement, the panel unpacked mentorship as a powerful growth strategy that helps entrepreneurs navigate uncertainty, avoid costly mistakes, strengthen systems, build confidence, access markets, improve financial readiness, and expand networks. The discussion also reinforced the idea that mentorship is not simply about advice, but about transformation, shared learning, collaboration, and creating practical pathways for enterprise growth.
Following the panel, participants moved into sector-specific breakout learning labs, where eight groups engaged in deeper peer-to-peer exchange on critical areas of the entrepreneurship journey. These sessions covered practical themes such as scaling and sustainability, networking and partnerships, business idea validation, market research, financial literacy and access to finance, business registration and compliance, marketing and branding, and customer engagement and retention. The breakout groups were facilitated by role models and sector leads including Antonina Makoba, Blessing Cheptoo, Paul Ogutu, Donald Sumba, Steven Ochieng, Eng. Adolwa Milizwa, Benjamin Wandera, and Jescah Mmbone, with rapporteurs supporting documentation and plenary feedback. These sessions created space for practical reflection, sector-based problem solving, peer mentorship, and the generation of actionable ideas that entrepreneurs could carry into their own businesses and communities.
The plenary wrap-up session brought participants back together to reflect on key insights from the breakout labs and identify next steps. The reflections highlighted the importance of mentorship that is intentional, accessible, and action-oriented; stronger collaboration between entrepreneurs and support institutions; peer-to-peer learning as a valuable complement to formal mentoring; and the need to build ecosystems where women and youth can be seen, supported, and connected to opportunity. Participants were also invited to share feedback through the event survey, helping strengthen future dialogue sessions and follow-up engagement.
A particularly meaningful component of the event was the recognition of outstanding role models and entrepreneurs whose work reflects innovation, resilience, and impact across sectors. These included entrepreneurs such as Abigael Rop, Antonina Makoba, Leah Jesang Cheramba, Faith Wanjiru Kinuthia, Samson Rop, Steven Ochieng, Elizabeth Kiprono, Viola Maina, Blessing Cheptoo Mzungu, Josephine Musakali, Kennedy Kibor Kiprotich, Constatine Jeptum Seroney, Tom Obote Ondieki, Dr. Roseline Arshley Ochuka Awino, Caroline Watwati, Yvonne Chepkosgei, Joyce Jemurgor, Ruth Jepchirchir Chesire, Emily Boit, Lavender Mutenyo Simiyu, Paul Ogutu, Donald Sumba, Stellah Jepchirchir, Eunice Njagi, and Purity Sammy.
The event also gave special recognition to entrepreneurs who are part of the IYBA-SEED Regional Expansion for SEEDs in the Green Industry, namely:
- Samson Rop of Vermiseed Ventures
- Augustine Wahome of EcoBees
- Viola Maina of Gooseberry Delight Limited
Overall, the Eldoret dialogue strongly demonstrated that mentoring is not an optional extra in entrepreneurship, but a critical pillar for enterprise growth, confidence building, ecosystem strengthening, and inclusive economic development. By bringing together entrepreneurs, local ecosystem partners, government actors, development partners, and support institutions, the event created a meaningful space for connection, learning, affirmation, and action. It reinforced the value of mentorship as both a personal and ecosystem strategy, and affirmed Eldoret’s role as an important centre of innovation, enterprise, and opportunity within Kenya’s evolving entrepreneurship landscape.
Key Outcomes from the Eldoret Event
- Mentorship was positioned as a practical growth strategy
The event strongly reinforced that mentorship helps entrepreneurs strengthen decision-making, build confidence, avoid mistakes, improve systems, and grow more sustainably. - Entrepreneurs gained practical, sector-based insights
Through the panel and breakout learning labs, participants engaged with real challenges and opportunities in areas such as scaling, finance, branding, compliance, market access, partnerships, and customer retention. - Peer learning emerged as a major strength of the event
The breakout sessions showed that entrepreneurs do not only learn from formal experts, but also from one another through shared experience, practical stories, and collaborative problem-solving. - The event strengthened ecosystem linkages in Uasin Gishu County
The convening brought together entrepreneurs, Eldohub, SNV, RBC, Kaizen Consultancy, county government, MSEA, KNFJKA, and other actors, helping build stronger relationships across the local entrepreneurship support system. - Women and youth in under-represented sectors were given visibility and recognition
The event intentionally amplified role models across manufacturing, green enterprise, agribusiness, technology, finance, WASH, and related sectors, helping participants see entrepreneurship success in relatable and practical ways. - Role model recognition added inspiration and credibility to the event
Celebrating the entrepreneurs and highlighting their businesses made the event feel rooted in real achievement, while also showing what is possible through persistence, innovation, and support. - Green enterprise received special visibility
The recognition of entrepreneurs participating in the IYBA-SEED Regional Expansion for SEEDs in the Green Industry helped spotlight sustainability, circular economy thinking, and the growing importance of green businesses. - Participants left with a stronger sense of community and possibility
The overall atmosphere of the event emphasized that entrepreneurship does not have to be a lonely journey; support systems, mentorship relationships, and collaborations are essential for long-term success.
In simple terms, the Eldoret Biashara Pawa event was a high-energy, insight-rich entrepreneurship dialogue that showed how mentorship, peer learning, ecosystem support, and role model visibility can help women and youth entrepreneurs grow stronger businesses. It combined inspiration with practical learning, brought together key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and created a clear message: when entrepreneurs are connected to mentors, institutions, peers, and opportunities, they are better equipped to thrive.
