Who We Are
We help Small & Medium Enterprises to connect and promote their businesses for a more profitable and sustainable future.
Vision
The vision of the Association is to advance the interests of SMEs and entrepreneurs involved in the running of SMEs. This vision shall be achieved, inter alia, through the following activities:
Advocating for the rights of SMEs at all relevant national fora, which shall include but shall not be limited to:
- Government and Government ministries
- Quasi-government organizations
- Non-governmental organizations
- Councils and municipalities
- Any other relevant local and international fora.
- Advancing the cause of SMEs through activities such as:
- Promotion and development of markets
- Sourcing and channeling of capital and technical assistance to SMEs
- Education and training for entrepreneurs
- Developing or encouraging the development of infrastructure (factory shells, incubation units, etc.) for the promotion of SMEs’ activities.
- Interactions with other national associations and groupings in order to ensure SMEs’ interactions with their members are mutually beneficial.
Values
The Association shall bear the following values in mind in everything that it and its members do:
Honesty and integrity
Above all else, the operations of the Association must be conducted in a manner that reflects honesty and integrity and seeks the greater good of its members and the nation first and foremost. Dishonesty and a lack of integrity shall not be tolerated at any level.
Transparency
All dealings that are directly or indirectly associated with the Association shall be done transparently. Where there is a potential for conflict of interest, all members are compelled to disclose the potential conflict, and the onus shall be on them to do so. Related party transactions and transactions that result in a direct or indirect benefit to any member must similarly be disclosed.
Impartiality and fairness
The Association shall conduct its duties with impartiality and fairness. This shall be particularly relevant with regard to the allocation of resources and benefits. No preferential treatment shall be given to any parties outside of the stipulations of the relevant rules and regulations.
Servant leadership
The Association shall strive to promote the virtues of servant-leadership. Office bearers within the Association shall seek primarily to serve the Association’s members, and therefore service should take precedence over any other consideration.
Professionalism
Affairs of the Association shall be conducted professionally, and in a way that maintains and promotes a good standing and image. All members shall strive to ensure that the Association only renders world-class service.
Thought leadership
The Association and its members will strive to remain at the forefront of promoting and adopting international best practices. The Association shall actively encourage innovation both with respect to how it is run, and how its members do business.
Best practice
The Association’s primary aim is to inculcate best practices within the SME sector to grow them into world-class corporations. The SME Association of Kenya shall therefore incorporate best practices in all its activities, to serve as an example of practicing what it preaches. This shall include the cultivation of world-class culture, brand, and image
The United SMEs Association of Kenya is a not-for-profit organization committed to helping Small & Medium Enterprises to connect and promote their businesses for a more profitable and sustainable future. The United SMEs Association of Kenya was formed out of a realization that severe problems were being faced by the SME sector in Kenya, which were not being addressed due to the lack of a strong representative organization.
While several organizations claim to represent SMEs, most of these in reality is focused on micro-enterprises. They have also failed to establish themselves visibly and roll out programs that address the present nagging issues faced by the sector. At the other end of the scale, large business representative groups have likewise claimed to represent SMEs, but in reality, have focused on the needs of big business. Their membership fees are also discriminatory in this respect, as small-scale enterprises cannot afford them.
Services Mandate
Growth Strategy & Business Planning
The biggest reason most small and medium sized enterprises do not grow into large corporations is because they lack a Growth Strategy. The Growth Strategy to a business is like DNA to a human being. We offer free Growth Strategy training to all new paid-up members of the Association.
Access to markets
Sales growth is the most important ingredient to growing a business. As such, we place great emphasis on helping members to develop. Sales growth is the most important ingredient to growing a business. As such, we place great emphasis on helping members to develop world-class products, as well as develop effective marketing strategies to ensure they are able to sell their products.
Access to funding
Funding is the lifeblood of any business and without access to appropriate, affordable funding, business growth is stifled, if not killed altogether.
tium doloremque.u00a0.
Honesty & integrity
Transparency
Professionalism
Impartiality & fairness
Servant leadership
Growth Strategy Formulation & Business Planning
Note that most programs are only for paid-up members and if you are not a paid-up member, or your subscription has expired, you will not be able to request certain products and services until you have an active subscription.
- Access to Markets
- Funding
- Infrastructure
- Lobbying and Advocacy
Meet our Partners
