Nairobi - On 21 February 2018, at the AICS Nairobi office, a press conference was held to present the call for particiaption to the E4Impact business incubator. The event was attended by the Italian Ambassador to Kenya Mauro Massoni, Head of the AICS Nairobi Office Teresa Savanella, the manager of E4Impact for East Africa David Cheboryot and the marketing director of the Standard Media Group Doreen Mbaya.

The incubator, co-funded by the Agency and implemented by the Università cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan and by the E4Impact - Nairobi Foundation is a business incubator and accelerator aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in Kenya, thus creating employment opportunities for young people and to foistering the internationalization of new businesses. The incubator will provide start-up and scaling-up support to the selected best ideas or companies, giving particular attention to women employment and activities with high socio-environmental impact.

Ms. Savanella underlined how such initiatives, which link public, private and research actors, can be of great support for those who, despite having a potentially creative and attractive entrepreneurial idea, can not find opportunities to develop their own project.

The deadline for the applications submission is set for March 23, 2018. By 30 April 2018 will be selected the best 20 projects ideas that will take advantage of the services of the accelerator.

The incubator represents an implementation of the so-called "triple helix approach" that links that relates the three main actors involved in innovative processes - universities/research institutions, entreprises and institutions - to the new concept of development defined by the 2030 Agenda that gives a fundamental role to the private sector and to the growth of a local entrepreneurial class. In this perspective, two public entities are partners of the initiative - the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the Micro Enterprise Support Program Trust (MESPT) belonging to the Ministry of Industry - and two private actors - the Tangaza University College (TUC) and the Kenyan National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).

Among its services, the incubator will provide to participants market analysis, and place the entreprises within a network of national and international contacts, in particular Italian ones, for future investments and operational partnerships.

Kiambu – On 24 March 2018 the was officially launched the Reducing the adverse drivers of migration through local value chain development, a rural development project funded by the Agency with 1.5 million euro and implemented by the FAO in collaboration with the Kiambu County Government. The launch was attended by the Kiambu County Governor, Ferdinand Waititu, the Italian ambassador, Mauro Massoni, the AICS Nairobi Head of Office, Teresa Savanella, and the FAO representative in Kenya, Gabriel Rugalema.

The project aims to address the root causes of the emigration to Nairobi of young people coming from Kiambu County, a peri-urban area with a vibrant agricultural sector. Through support activities for entrepreneurship and development of value chains in agriculture, the project will contribute to job creation and will promote supply chain innovation, involving about 4.000 people. The intervention will strengthen the network of small and medium-sized enterprises and foster market-oriented production by developing those skills needed to transform products and promoting added value.

Un'attenzione particolare sarà rivolta ai giovani e alle donne, favorendo l’inclusione delle fasce più deboli attraverso opportunità d’impiego in loco e la crescita di attività imprenditoriali già esistenti nel settore. L’intervento, dunque, si allinea con due delle aree prioritarie della Big Four Agenda del presidente Kenyatta: la creazione opportunità di lavoro per i giovani e il miglioramento della sicurezza alimentare nel Paese.

Focus will be given to young people and women, fostering inclusion through employment opportunities in Kiambu, and growth of entrepreneurial activities already operating in the sector. The project activities are aligned with two of the priority areas of President Kenyatta's Big Four Agenda: job creation for young people and food security increase in the Country.

Nel sottolineare l’importanza di un progetto nato da una proposta delle autorità locali in risposta a un problema concreto, l’ambasciatore Massoni ha evidenziato come l’Italia costituisca un partner strategico per il Kenya, "un partner amico, che non impone idee e soluzioni, ma che collabora e accompagna le istituzioni in un viaggio comune per lo sviluppo e la trasformazione del Paese. Il successo di questo progetto – ha poi aggiunto – potrà cambiare il paradigma e aprire la strada a collaborazioni future, su simili progetti, con il coinvolgimento delle OSC italiane, del settore pubblico e di quello privato, sia italiano che keniota."

In underlining the importance of this project, coming from a proposal by local authorities in response to a real issue, Ambassador Massoni highlighted how Italy is a strategic partner for Kenya, "a friendly partner, who does not impose ideas and solutions, but that collaborates and accompanies the institutions in a common journey for development and transformation of the Country. The success of this project - he added - will change the paradigm and open the way for future collaborations on similar projects, with the involvement of the Italian CSOs, and public and private sector - both Italian and Kenyan."

Following Swahili's motto "Kilimo Ni Swag" - agriculture is cool - all the actors involved have affirmed their commitment to transform agriculture into an interesting and attractive activity for young people, thus reducing migration of young people due to economic or social fragility.

Nairobi - On 4 June 2018, during the celebration of the Italian National Day at the residence of the Ambassador of Italy, was officially presented the book "Nia moja, One aim, Una meta - Experiences of Italian NGOs in Kenya". At the presentation, in a dedicated stand reserved to the Italian NGOs operating in the Country, attended the Italian Ambassador Mauro Massoni, the Head of the AICS Nairobi Office Teresa Savanella, representatives of the involved NGOs, and national and local government authorities.

The guests had the opportunity to interact with the representatives of the Italian NGOs at the stand, to read the book, to learn more about the activities promoted by the Italian Cooperation actors, and visit a photographic exhibition on the most significant activities of the organizations listed in the book.

The book, published thanks to the contribution of the AICS office in Nairobi and born within the regular meetings between the Civil Society Organizations, the Agency and the Embassy, was the outcome of a common desire to create a book that would collect and tell the activities of support and development carried out by the CSOs operating in Kenya. The title itself intends to underline the programmatic objective of a "common goal" through the translation of the same word into three different but closely linked languages: Swahili, English, Italian .

With the prefaces by Ambassador Massoni and Ms. Savanella, the book tells more about the experiences of Italian organizations in Kenya and the activities carried out through infographics on the areas of intervention and funding, as well as summaries on 30 Italian NGOs.

The support for this publication by AICS Nairobi is part of the activities carried out within the "Inclusive Development Partnership" initiative and in the implementation of the guidelines set by the Law 125/2014 , aimed at promoting synergies and partnerships between different actors working in a plural and efficient cooperation system.

• Nia Moja - One aim - Una meta

Kiserian - On 30 May 2018 a public event was hosted at the Kiserian Primary School to celebrate the achievements under the Kenya Comprehensive School Health Program, an initiative in the educational and health sectors co-financed by the Agency for an amount of 700,000 Euros and implemented by World Friends.

Together with the students, the event was attended by representatives of the Health and Education departments of Kajiado County, teachers and members of the beneficiary schools' councils, the Head of AICS Nairobi Teresa Savanella, operators of World Friends and representatives of the local partner organization Jukumu Letu .

The project, launched in 2015 and aimed at supporting Kenya Comprehensive School Health Policy implementation, has seen interventions in the educational, agricultural and health fields through activities to raise awareness on issues linkled to health, nutrition, hygiene, safety and environment. Additionally, activities included the construction of kitchens and toilets and the provision of water tanks and pumps in five schools in the County.

In his remarks, Ms. Savanella hoped that this model of partnership between public institutions, Italian organizations and local partners - that has been reaffirmed and consolidated during the project - can be replicated in other contexts to improve the effectiveness and to maximize the impact public resources dedicated to development. The collaboration between the actors involved in the project activities has proven to be particularly effective and has led to the development of several good practices that could be applied in implementing the Kenya Comprehensive School Health Policy.

Thanks to synergies between the different entities involved and solid relationships with local communities - key elements to promote conducive and sustainable conditions - it was possible to support the County in reaching the goals set by the Government  on health and in providing at the same time better services and safe learning environments for Kajiado teachers and pupils.

Nairobi - Twenty business ideas will benefit from the services of the E4Impact business incubator, a project proposed by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan, co-funded by the Agency and implemented by the Nairobi headquarters of the E4Impact Foundation. E4Impact is a business incubator (start-up) and accelerator (scaling-up) aimed at promoting entrepreneurship - particularly focused on women involvment and  high social/environmental impact activities - thus creating opportunities for youth employment and stimulating the internationalization of new businesses.

This business incubator represents an implementation of the so-called "triple helix" approach that links the three main actors involved in innovative processes - universities/research institutions, entreprises and institutions - to the new concept of development defined by the 2030 Agenda that gives a fundamental role to the private sector and to the growth of a local entrepreneurial class. In this perspective, two public entities are partners of the initiative - the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the Micro Enterprise Support Program Trust (MESPT) belonging to the Ministry of Industry - and two private actors - the Tangaza University College (TUC) and the Kenyan National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).

The presentation ceremony, on June 13th, was attended by  the Italian Ambassador in Kenya Mauro Massoni, the Head of office of AICS Nairobi Teresa Savanella, the Principal Secretary for the Vocational and Technical Training Kevit Desai, the CEO of the E4Impact Foundation Mario Molteni, and the E4Impact manager for East Africa David Cheboryot.

The business ideas, mainly operating in sectors of excellence of Italian companies such as agro-food, leather goods, and fashion, were selected among 250 applications through a competitive process that took into account elements such as the business model, the human capital, the potential impact of the accelerator's contribution, and potential opportunities for future investments. As a demonstration of the high participation by the local and the Italian civil society, several of the selected companies focus on local communities, through a participatory approach aimed at involving people and encouraging the development within the same community group.

Ambassador Massoni recalled that the reason why the incubator focuses on the areas of Italy's excellences is given by the willingness to share, with Kenyan companies, those mistakes and those successes that put the Italian companies at the level are known for today globally

Teresa Savanella stressed how, in line with the laws directing the Italian Cooperation, is envisaged the search for opportunities for collaboration with various development actors such as civil society, universities and the private sector - particularly social entreprises. Furthermore, she wished that the project could produce a favorable learning environment also thanks to the possibility for the Italian private sector to provide its know-how in support of the creation of decent jobs.

During the implementation phase, local start-ups will be connected with Italian companies operating in similar sectors in order to ensure the learning of business models, and to share the best practices that can be applied in Kenya. In addition, the entreprises will have access to funds to develop their business ideas, and will access to professional consulting services in marketing, legal assistance, and accounting. Throughout the incubation process, the entreprises will be able to take advantage of the incubator facilities, as well as to receive international and local coaching and tutoring.

Among the ideas in is worth to mention the social incubator Jikaze Utafulu - committ yourself and you will be successful, presented by the Italian NGO SVI through the project No one out!. The project focuses on fighting against crime, prostitution and drug use through microfinance programs that allow the strengthening of existing companies and the provision of scholarships for those in need.