Stories: Skills training that build resiliency and livelihoods

EDC-Kenya and CAPYEI’s skills development course aims to teach trainees more about what makes a business successful alongside ensuring trainees receive the coaching and support to succeed with their goals. As crucial as entrepreneurial skills are, trainees require resilient mindsets to overcome obstacles and challenges.

Benjamin Ruberintwari, 22 years old, first came to Kakuma camp in 2018 and later moved to Nairobi. “I am an orphan, having lost my parents in the war, and being all alone in a new town only worsened my mental state,” he said. “Life in Nairobi was such a culture shock. Everything and everyone was fast in everything they did.”

The rapidly increasing number of urban-based refugees outside camps face challenges integrating into local communities, including harassment, prejudice, violence from residents and police and poor housing conditions. Although they can experience more mobility freedom, living with more diverse populations makes establishing traditional home businesses difficult and their social networks smaller.

Benjamin could only get a job in construction but struggled with the heavy physical labour. He later got a job at a hotel and was able to save enough money to set up a roadside stall. Benjamin also joined a Kenyan church and was part of the praise and worship team. Through the church, he learned about the pilot program offered at CAPYEI’s training centre. “I was at first not sure what to expect, but joining the training has proved to be the best decision I ever made.” 

In the first weeks, the trainers taught the trainees about life skills, including stress management. “I was emotionally drained and spent most of my time crying and feeling alone,” Benjamin said, relating strongly to what the program was teaching. “I learnt ways of handling stress and how to overcome trauma. Losing my parents was something that had really taken a toll on me over the years. I am now in a better mental state and taking one day at a time.”

Using the new financial literacy training, Benjamin would take the money he was saving and invest in kitchen equipment like thermos, cups and a gas cooker. Then, on the advice from the trainers, he took advantage of the course to sell tea and snacks to his fellow students during break time. In addition, they helped Benjamin write sales records and go through his books to offer advice where needed. 

“Since our classes were half day, I would also sell chapatis and mandazis by the roadside,” Benjamin said. “This increased my savings, and I was able to improve my livelihood. I was able to buy a good mattress, bed and a cooking gas stove. I had been sleeping on the floor on a tiny mattress and was using a jiko (portable stove) to cook.”

Other than just selling products, Benjamin is also a musician. He had written and produced thirteen original songs but didn’t know how to market them. The disappointment from that had halted his motivation to continue making music, something Benjamin loved. However, using the training, he started to make posts on his social accounts such as Tiktok, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube. Since then, he has been invited to worship experiences and church events through referrals and posting online. “I learnt that, even in music, I had to consider my target market. This has helped me boost my talent and business. In September, I recorded a new video, which I will post on my YouTube channel and snippets on TikTok.”

Since finishing the training in June, Benjamin has been focusing on his business full-time. “With my savings I was able to rent a space in Sunton. I have two popcorn machines, a chapati maker and a display cart. My goal now is to have a hotel in town.”

“CAPYEI has really changed my life. I don’t know what mental state I would be in right now. I have grown mentally, emotionally and financially. I am forever grateful to CAPYEI.”

Francine Akimana came to Kenya in 2017 from Burundi. As a shy and soft-spoken person, she felt nervous speaking in large gatherings and classrooms. She also faced a language barrier as she could barely utter a word in Swahili. Because of this, finding a job was hard, so she started selling melons. Despite working hard, the income was only just enough for her family to survive.

She learned about the training from a friend and has learned a lot from the trainers. “How to set up a business was the best thing I learnt,” she said about the strengths she found in the program. “I had always wanted to set up one but always postponed.”

More than just the business skills, she was grateful for the aspects of the program that helped build confidence. “I also got to learn about temperaments which helped me know myself and those around me. Learning about self-esteem and how to boost my confidence helped a lot.”

After the class, Francine set up a business selling baby clothes. She started an Instagram account to market the clothes and had customers from far away buy her products.

Online businesses can help support women who may feel uncomfortable speaking with strangers or struggle with communicating in their second language. Some socio-cultural or conservative attitudes may also raise barriers for women in speaking with members of different genders or communities.

“My business is now two months old,’ she said with pride. “I am so proud of myself and my achievement.”