The container will act as an incubation hub for students who have completed hair and beauty courses
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 17 – The KCB Foundation has launched a revolutionary approach to business premises hosting for the beauty and personal care professionals through a franchise container model.
The ‘franchise container model’ is a modified shipping container that has been retrofitted to host a beauty salon.
The container will act as an incubation hub for students who have completed hair and beauty courses where they can perfect their professional skills even as they prepare to go into business for themselves.
The launch coincided with the graduation of 316 beneficiaries under the Foundation’s 2jiajiri programme, a transformative skill development and wealth creation programme.
Four beauty graduates can join hands to operate a 40- foot container that is equipped with four workstations.
The joint venture model takes into account the graduates’ minimal or lack of capital and assists them to meet the operational cost of running the salon container.
“The beauty of the concept is that it takes into account issues of space as well as mobility as the container can be moved from place to place depending on business performance and owner preferences. Additionally, the fittings are never disentangled as they are moved inside the container, hence guaranteeing their safety,” said KCB Foundation Executive Director Jane Mwangi.
Owners of the containers can assist their tenants to place them at vantage points for instance in learning institutions, public parking areas, church compounds or at market centres.
KCB Foundation will provide business development services to hand-hold the 2jiajiri beneficiaries into developing thriving enterprises through this model.
The Foundation has so far sponsored 882 hair and beauty beneficiaries since last year out of the over 12,000 recipients across its industry sector programmes. Upon graduation, the beneficiaries join the KCB Foundation incubation process as they walk through the journey of establishing their businesses.
The Foundation currently partners with leading beauty colleges and salons in Kenya including Ashleys, Azizi, Amadiva and Strands on Fleek.
