Comesa starts garment making project for Kenyan SMEs

The main aim is to strengthen the process of regional integration at Comesa and to enhance the region's trade competitiveness globally, and promote trade within the region and with the EU. A number of activities have been achieved with this funding, including management training skills of SMEs in garment making, marketing member's products through exhibitions and networking, improving quality of member's products and procurement of state-of- the-art modern equipment with the aim of establishing an incubation centre in the country.

Assistant secretary general in charge of programmes, Kipyego Cheluget, said the project based at the Kisumu National Polytechnic Institute will help grow the garment industry and is expected to have a positive impact on the community in that county. He said the introduction of clusters to incubate entrepreneurs would give SMEs a chance to competitively prove themselves across East Africa.

“This project will provide the youths with skills that will make them self-reliant through self-employment. I urge you to use this opportunity to sharpen your skills, train more people and create jobs. Also focus on registering your businesses,” Cheluget added.

Kisumu National Polytechnic received funding from the Technical Cooperation Facility (TCF) for the formation of a garment making cluster and establishment of a textile and garment incubation centre in Kisumu as part of Implementation of the Comesa Cluster Initiative Programme.

The TCF is a facility funded by the EU and managed by the Comesa Secretariat to provide member states with the necessary technical and financial resources to assist them in implementation the commitments made under the Comesa regional integration agenda. (HO)

Comesa