Upon graduation, the beneficiaries join KCB Foundation incubation process as they walk through the journey of establishing their businesses.

KCB Foundation recently held a graduation for 2Jiajiri programme’s beauty and personal care beneficiaries. The 17 October 2017 event at KCB Ruaraka Sports Club was attended by heads and graduands from 11 partner beauty institutions in Nairobi namely: AIC Nairobi Training Centre, Ashleys Hair and Beauty Academy, Azizi Hair and Beauty College, Glory College, Mathare Youth Polytechnic, NITA Industrial Area, NITA Textile Training Institute, P.C Kinyanjui, YMCA Shauri Moyo, Kariobangi Women Institute and St. Joseph Technical School.

KCB Foundation Executive Director Jane Mwangi presided over the colourful event that saw 316 beneficiaries (291 female and 25 male) attain certificates in various beauty and personal care disciplines; hair dressing and design, beauty therapy and cosmetology.

She reminded the graduates of the pivotal role that beauty and personal care professions play in helping people make a good first and lasting impression. She noted that the beauty industry was one of the fastest growing in Kenya having grown by 400% in four years from Ksh 26 Billion in 2011 to over Ksh 100 Billion in 2015. In comparison, she said, the beauty industry in Brazil was 31 times the size of Kenya’s and valued at USD $ 31 Billion in 2016. The Director attributed this to three main reasons namely; (1) increased participation of Brazilian youth and women in the beauty industry, (2) adoption of new approaches such as franchises, specialty and personalised stores as modes of reaching out to their clientele and (3) improved distribution and availability of beauty care products.

She further underscored the crucial role of training of beauty professionals in Kenya, saying many beauty multinationals had avoided  investing in Kenya due to lack of skilled people trained in the use of their products and their belief that there was low demand for their products. “You are graduating during what is possibly, the most opportune time for the beauty industry in Kenya. We are now seeing giant cosmetic manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson, Estee Lauder, l’Oréal, MaC, Yves Rocher, Unilever, Biersdorf, Proctor & Gamble, Avon and Oriflame either returning or increasing their investments in Kenya. Now, with yourselves as a pioneering class of beauty and personal care professionals, the problem of skilled experts in this field is going to be comprehensively resolved,” said the Director.

“The improved economic performance of our country and elevation of Kenya to middle income status is a clear indicator on the consumers spending power on beauty and personal care”.

During the event the Foundation also 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.

“This model will allow you as young beauty professionals to perfect your skills in a controlled environment under the supervision of seasoned professionals until you are ready to obtain your own containers and embark on the path to success,” concluded the Executive Director.

Beauty and personal care pioneers in Kenya and other invited guests at the event lauded the Foundation for this initiatives to empower the youth to create their own jobs and employ others.

“ I commend KCB Foundation for doing a lot to support the young professionals in the beauty industry in Kenya. I urge all graduands to take advantage of the opportunity as many have been unable to take off and even prosper in the industry due to lack of capital and business advisory services,” said renowned beauty entrepreneur Terry Mungai, CEO of Ashleys Kenya Limited and Miss World Kenya Franchise Holder.

The Foundation has so far sponsored 882 hair and beauty beneficiaries since last year out of the over 12,000 recipients in various sectors across the country. Upon graduation, the beneficiaries join KCB Foundation incubation process where they will be trained and guided on the journey of establishing their businesses. The Foundation currently partners with leading beauty colleges and salons in Kenya including Ashleys, Azizi and Amadiva among others.