15- year-old girl receives Sh500,000 seed capital

A 15-year-old girl is among three finalists who has won Sh500,000 to invest in her project aimed at recycling waste papers and using water hyacinth to make a variety of commodities.

Rahmina Paullette Oyugi, a Form One student who is an environmental champion, was awarded for her creativity in using the weed choking Lake Victoria to make bags, cards and sanitary pads among other products.

After undergoing a six-month training sponsored by Lakehub and Siemens Stiftung, the teenager is now expected to increase production of her wares, a move which is expected to provide employment and protect the environment.

“The start-ups already have clients in the market and we are hopeful that the seed capital will help them grow to meet the various needs and demands of their clients,” said Lakehub founder and chief executive officer James Odede.

Online platform

Speaking during the awarding ceremony at Lakehub offices in Kisumu Friday, Mr Odede said they received over 100 applications from different start-ups who sought to get financial support.

“From the number, we selected 17 start-ups and have finally graduated 13 after a competitive and thorough exercise that was overseen by three judges,” he said.

Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in March, the Lakehub conducted their incubation through the online platform with the assistance various professionals who guided participants on how to position and grow their businesses.

Ms Oyugi, who operates Eco Paper Making business, said she will use the resources to strengthen and open up her nascent enterprise.

 “I intend to buy more machines to increase my production capacity while also looking forward to buying a piece of land where to construct my own workshop,” she told Nation.

Mr Boniface Okute’s Victoria Agribusiness enterprise also received the Sh500,000 financial support.

 The firm provides a mobile-based supply platform that connects small-holder farmers to informal food vendors, hotels and restaurants with an option for home deliveries.

Guaranteed market

The model creates a fair, transparent and guaranteed market for the farmer while ensuring the consumer has access to quality, safe food at fair prices.

Mr Brian Nyagol will receive the financial backing for developing an online platform that centralises the integral business needs for business owners and their employees to enable them work seamlessly from anywhere.

“We provide an affordable, all-in-one staff, customer, finance and project management online system that is easy to use. This allows them to work with remote teams to increase operational efficiency and significantly reduce operational expenditure,” said Mr Nyagol.

The country’s Siemens Stiftung Project Coordinator Stephen Njuguna said the money to be dispatched from January 2021, will be given in two tranches.