On March 10th, 2025, the Twende Digital Project, an innovative partnership between the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and Twiva, launched its Third 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 and Second cohort, which created and improved over 1,600 jobs and helped in the digitization of over 500 SMEs. The project has been transforming the Kenyan employment landscape through the empowerment of small businesses by providing linkages to finance, health and pension benefits, and increased productivity by ensuring conducive working environments. Additionally, SMEs are 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 highlighted the role of partnerships within private sector players in creating job opportunities, improving access to finance, and equipping SMEs with the resources needed for growth. He also 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."

In her remarks while representing TWIVA, Ms Wangari Kinyanjui, Program officer at 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."

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.

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. Ms June Mwangi, Program Officer at KEPSA noted on the financial challenges for SMEs, noting that debt financing remains a key barrier to growth. She additionally covered financial support programs such as the Jiinue Growth Program that provides loans to help businesses grow. “One of the biggest challenges for many SMEs is financial access and affordability. Debt financing is still a major barrier, and many business owners struggle to secure funds to grow and expand. Beyond financial support, I also want to stress the importance of policy and regulatory awareness. Many business owners don’t realize how policies affect employment conditions, taxation, and business operations. Having the right information is critical for long-term success.

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.