In May 2021, Emerging Leaders was asked to provide livelihoods training for vulnerable workers in flower farms in Kenya as part of a wider UK government funded project in partnership with MM Flowers, Fairtrade and multiple retail partners.

“We were asked just to deliver the livelihoods module, but because of the work we had been doing funded by Small Foundation (‘depth of impact over numbers trained’), we held firm to our conviction that in order to ensure success we would only take part if we could also provide training on mindset, behaviour change and financial literacy. Whilst it was an opportunity to work with a number of new retailers that we would love to partner with, our new conviction gave us the confidence and courage to stay true to our desire for transformational impact.”

Emerging Leaders programmes have a proven impact in empowering people in vulnerable communities with the mindsets, motivations and skills to flourish. What makes the work we do distinct from many other programmes is our focus first on mindset and behaviour change. This acts as a catalyst to sustainable and transformational change, magnifying and accelerating the impact of any training that follows – it creates the right environment to grow. It’s why we call what we do ‘The thing before the thing’.

Alongside the focus on mindset & behaviour change the 170 selected workers received training on financial literacy and starting income generating activities (IGA’s) that would complement rather than conflict with their work commitments, 25% received seed funding – our first step into this arena. The timeframe we were given was short, but the results impactful.

• 100% of those who received seed funding started an IGA within a month
• 45% of those receiving no funding also starting an IGA in the same timeframe
• 64% who started IGAs were able to generate an income with one month of the training
• A further 17% are expecting to earn an income by end of month two

On average, participants in the training made around KES 9,900 (£60) per month from their employment. Participants who started an IGA generated an additional KES3400 (£22) income within the first month, equivalent to 38% of their salary.