Twende Digital flags off second cohort in boost for SMEs, jobs creation for youth

The Twende Digital Project, an innovative partnership between the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and Twiva, today launched its second cohort to address youth unemployment and boost SME digital capabilities through social commerce. The event, held in Nairobi, flagged off another phase of this impactful initiative co-funded by the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE), which is set to continue transforming the employment landscape for Kenya’s youth and small businesses. 

This cohort aims to build on the success of the first cohort, which ended in July 2024, which created and improved over 1,000 jobs. It aims to create and improve 2,000 more jobs towards the program’s target of 3,000 by mid-2025. It will provide linkages to finance, health, and pension benefits and increase productivity by ensuring conducive working environments. SMEs will be facilitated with essential digital marketing and e-commerce tools, including influencer marketing, content creation, and social media management, all of which are geared toward increasing sales conversions and market reach. 

The program’s holistic approach creates a cross-value ecosystem that benefits both the SMEs and the youth. Dr. Ehud Gachugu, Ag. Deputy CEO and Global Director of Youth & Jobs at KEPSA underscored this partnership’s mutual benefit: “Twende Digital creates a powerful synergy where SMEs and young people grow together. While SMEs gain critical digital expertise and market access, young people earn meaningful, decent jobs as resellers through social and influencer marketing strategies. This win-win model fosters economic development and resilience and contributes to closing the unemployment gap in Kenya.” 

According to Paul Ngugi, the Deputy Country Lead at CFYE, the program is committed to creating approximately 230,000 jobs for young people globally by 2026. He emphasized CFYE’s role in this impactful project in Kenya: “At CFYE, our mission is to create sustainable and dignified work for youth. Twende Digital is one of our key partnerships, and through this initiative, we are seeing tangible outcomes; not just in the number of jobs created but in how they improve lives and transform businesses. We believe in the power of implementing partners like KEPSA and Twiva to drive real change in the employment landscape.” 

According to recent statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, over 50% of the 2.97 million unemployed Kenyans are aged 18 to 29. This alarming youth unemployment rate highlights the urgent need for innovative job-creation strategies. Twende Digital addresses this challenge by offering young people opportunities to participate in Kenya’s growing digital economy. The program also equips SMEs with digital tools to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven market.

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In her remarks, Joy Mwangi, Co-Founder and COO of Twiva emphasized the importance of leveraging technology and social commerce to create jobs. “Through innovative tactics like social commerce and influencer marketing, Twende Digital is solving the issue of youth unemployment and transforming how businesses in Kenya reach their markets. By empowering youth as influencers and digital marketers, we are providing them with dignified work while giving SMEs a competitive edge in this digital age.” 

With the support of KEPSA, SMEs enrolled in the Twende Digital program are also gaining exclusive benefits, such as access to finance and markets, that enhance their business development and growth. Harrison Ngatia, Chief SME and Enterprise Development Officer at KEPSA highlighted the advantages of businesses joining the alliance. “As members of KEPSA, SMEs also benefit from critical business resources, training, and policy support and gain a platform where their voices are amplified. The Twende Digital initiative equips these businesses with cutting-edge digital tools, enabling them to boost sales and reach wider markets, ensuring sustainable business growth,” he said. 

Twende Digital’s expansion to counties such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kiambu, Nyeri, Kakamega, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, and Machakos, ensures that its impact is felt across all regions, particularly in marginalized and underserved communities. This partnership between KEPSA and Twiva, along with the strategic backing of CFYE, exemplifies the power of collaboration and innovation in creating lasting economic opportunities for Kenya’s youth and businesses.