DIRA in Kenya · Our Founding Market

Direction for women
and youth.
Economic advancement
for Africa.

Kenya is where DIRA began. Since 2023 we've supported women- and youth-led MSMEs here, delivering entrepreneurship and digitization training that drives job creation nationwide, as part of a network now 5,000+ entrepreneurs strong across Kenya and Ethiopia.

Join a programme See our track record
Free for every participant Women- & youth-led MSMEs Nationwide reach
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Entrepreneurs trained
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MSME programmes
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Jobs supported
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MSMEs digitized
Our track record

Trained across Kenya's
fastest-growing sectors.

Programmes cover digital tools, AI, financial literacy, and business management, and they are free for every participant.

DIRA's story began in Kenya in 2023. What started as a single networking event has grown into an organization supporting women and youth entrepreneurs across Kenya and Ethiopia. DIRA has equipped 5,000+ entrepreneurs with the skills to grow, digitize, and create jobs in their communities.

Sectors we serve
Retail Agribusiness Fashion & Beauty Gaming Fintech Jobtech
5,000+
Entrepreneurs trained
20+
Programmes delivered
5,000+
Jobs supported
3,000+
MSMEs digitized
Where we work

Reaching entrepreneurs
nationwide through technology.

DIRA's Kenya presence began in Nairobi. By integrating technology into its training model, DIRA now reaches women and youth entrepreneurs across the country, not limited to a handful of cities.

Kenya presence
Nairobi Online, nationwide
Where we operate
Kenya · since 2023 Ethiopia · Addis Ababa, 2026
Our story

Direction, for women
and youth economic advancement.

In 2023, DIRA's founder identified a critical gap holding back women and youth entrepreneurship in Kenya: qualified women and the employers who needed them simply weren't finding each other. What began as a single networking event has grown into an entrepreneurship support organization working across Kenya and Ethiopia: a dedicated team of 30+ volunteers, more than 5,000 entrepreneurs directly impacted, and a growing presence in Nairobi and Addis Ababa.

Since then, DIRA has partnered with organizations across Kenya and Ethiopia to deliver business training, digital skills, and financial literacy programs built for women- and youth-led MSMEs. Today, that work lives inside a thriving business community, one designed to help women and youth build profitable businesses, learn from each other, and advance economic, business, and social growth across every market DIRA calls home.

Everything else has grown. The mission hasn't: increased income-generation opportunities for the women and youth who trust us with their next chapter.
Daisy Nyaronge, Founder
2023 · Founded in Kenya
Since then · Nairobi and nationwide
2026 · Addis Ababa
Partner with us

Fund a programme.
Reach the entrepreneurs
behind it.

DIRA's training is free for every participant, which means it is funded by partners rather than by the women and youth who need it. We work with funders, corporates, and delivery partners who want economic outcomes they can measure: businesses that grow, digitize, and create jobs in their own communities.

Programme sponsorship Co-delivered training Impact reporting Supplier development
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Book an intro call

Twenty minutes. Tell us what you're looking for.

Thank you, we'll be in touch within 24 hours.

We respond within 24 hours.

Questions

Frequently
asked questions.

Everything about DIRA's work with women and youth entrepreneurs in Kenya.

Ask us anything
What entrepreneurship training does DIRA offer women and youth in Kenya?

DIRA has supported women and youth entrepreneurship in Kenya since 2023, delivering training programs focused on MSME growth, job creation, and digitization for women- and youth-led businesses across retail, agribusiness, fashion and beauty, gaming, fintech, and jobtech. Programs cover digital tools, AI, financial literacy, and business management.

Does DIRA support women- and youth-led MSMEs across Kenya?

Yes. DIRA's entrepreneurship training is designed specifically for women- and youth-led MSMEs, with a focus on digital skills, business growth, and job creation. By integrating technology into its training model, DIRA reaches entrepreneurs nationwide, not limited to a handful of cities.

How long has DIRA operated in Kenya?

Kenya is where DIRA began, in 2023. Since then, DIRA has trained 5,000+ women and youth entrepreneurs across 20+ programs, supporting 5,000+ jobs and 3,000+ MSMEs digitized across Kenya and Ethiopia.

Is DIRA's entrepreneurship training free?

Yes. DIRA's entrepreneurship training for women and youth in Kenya is free for participants.

How is DIRA's work in Kenya connected to DIRA's other markets?

Kenya is DIRA's founding market, where the organization started in 2023. Since then, DIRA has grown to work across Kenya and Ethiopia, with a presence in Nairobi and, as of 2026, Addis Ababa. In both markets, DIRA supports women's and youth economic mobility through entrepreneurship training, job matching, skills development, and peer community.

Ready to grow your
business?

DIRA's entrepreneurship training in Kenya is free, practical, and built around what women- and youth-led MSMEs actually need to grow.

Enquire about a programme

Free for every participant. No payment required. Ever.