Kenyan Leaders in hair and beauty partner with KCB Foundation

Two of Kenya’s most respected leaders in the field of hair and beauty: Amadiva Beauty and Azizi Hair & Beauty College have partnered with KCB Foundation to empower young entrepreneurs to set up their own beauty businesses under the Amadiva Franchise – a stint that will be followed by a 2Jiajiri business training courtesy of KCB Foundation.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

Participants joining the project will receive a 6-month vocational training to equip them with skills required to run own franchise successfully. After this, they will be guaranteed a 2–year employment at Amadiva, after which they will be liable to joining the 2Jiajiri business training courtesy of KCB Foundation. This will present the entrepreneurs with financing opportunities at subsidized rates to enable them to set up their own franchise.

 

Together, Amadiva and Azizi Hair & Beauty College will train 120 stylists and beauticians this year alone. The first cohort made up of 40 beneficiaries, who were recruited in December 2016, is slated to graduate in the month of June. The next and 2nd call out will happen around May of 2017.

A study of the hair business in Kenya revealed that the hair business in Kenya is competitive with over 20,000 salons operating in the country. Approximately 10,000 of that number operate in the city of Nairobi with over 50% in informal settlements in the greater Nairobi region. The salons are highly fragmented and short in capacity to address the growing middle class. In addition, there are around 8 beauty schools in Kenya educating 6,000 students annually on average, contributing to the widening gap between labour supply and demand. As the segment is informal very little data exists in the market of the bulk of the business. The segment is also locked out of formal services such as access to finance, legal services, insurance, technology and highly skilled labour. For a lucrative segment that continues to grow, it makes sense to formalize the business.

Through the 2Jiajiri program, Amadiva Beauty Salon and Azizi Hair & Beauty College are tapping into the young, vibrant and tech savvy youth who might not necessarily have money to invest into a franchise but would like to start one.

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