More than 100 women running micro enterprises from the ROSE Women’s Foundation Programme benefitted from free digital and financial literacy training organised by Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) at the bank’s head offices in Nairobi.
The event, part of the bank’s celebration of women during International Women’s Day (IWD), brought together women running micro enterprises in informal settlements across Nairobi to equip them with essential skills to grow their businesses in the digital age.
The training workshop featured various industry experts. It focused on enhancing digital literacy, leveraging social media marketing, and effectively managing chamas (informal savings groups).
Azmaira Thobani, DTB’s Head of Sustainability and Communications, lauded the group for its commitment to building the country’s economy during the workshop. She encouraged them to embrace digital tools and social media marketing to grow their businesses. “At DTB, we recognise that empowering women entrepreneurs is key to driving economic growth and financial inclusion through our financial literacy training programme. By equipping them with digital literacy skills, we are enabling them to expand their businesses, create employment opportunities, and contribute to sustainable development,” she said.
Attendees gained valuable knowledge on reaching and understanding their target audiences, utilising various digital platforms and building brand awareness to drive engagement and sales. They also learned how to leverage chamas for growth and expansion. Key areas covered on chama savings included digitising onboarding, personalised wallets, seamless transactions, chama loan management, financial reporting, and more.
The initiative is part of DTB’s ongoing commitment to fostering financial inclusion and empowering women entrepreneurs with the knowledge and resources they need to scale their businesses.
“I have always owned a smartphone, but normally, I just use it for communication and payments. Today’s workshop has opened my eyes to the power of digital marketing. I now understand how to use social media and digital tools to market my products, reach more customers and increase my sales. I am truly grateful to DTB for this opportunity. I believe with the information I have gathered today, I am able to grow to a larger scale,” said Jane Thige, attendee and a beneficiary of the ROSE Women’s Foundation.
ROSE Women’s Foundation is a faith-based non-profit organisation that empowers women in extreme poverty through the Gospel and entrepreneurship. They partner with women and girls in low-income communities in East Africa, using technology and innovation to uplift communities from poverty. During the project’s life, ROSE monitors and assesses the impact created on women’s micro-businesses and the resulting empowerment outcomes on women, their families, and their communities.
