Strategic toolkit to strengthen advocacy in Kenya

Throughout Africa, youth- and women-led businesses are shaping the future of entrepreneurship. However, their businesses often struggle in environments that lack enabling policies, strategic planning, or sustainable business development. Recognising this, the Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Support to Ecosystem Development (IYBA-SEED) programme is working to change the narrative.

IYBA-SEED is part of the broader Team Europe Initiative, which is meant to unlock opportunities for youth entrepreneurship. The program focuses specifically on strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems by equipping actors like Business Membership Organisations (BMOS) and Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOS) to serve youth- and women-led businesses better.

In Kenya, the IYBA-SEED programme is jointly implemented by SNV, GIZ, and partners. As part of its roll-out, a series of stakeholder forums and consultations revealed a critical insight: while many ecosystem actors are passionate about supporting youth and women-led businesses, they often lack the tools and capacity to advocate effectively. There is a pressing need to strengthen their ability to engage in evidence-based advocacy that can shape policies and create lasting, systemic change.

ESOs and BMOs across Kenya are deeply committed to the success of youth and women entrepreneurs, but they face several challenges in conducting advocacy, including the following:

• Limited financial resources that restrict long-term advocacy efforts.

• Fragmentation and lack of coordination within the ecosystem.

• Insufficient capacity and technical expertise in lobbying, policy analysis, and coalition-building.

• A limited understanding of Kenya’s complex policy processes.

• Lack of access to data and research to support evidence-based recommendations.

The toolkit is a direct response to these challenges. It provides practical tools, frameworks, and guidance to help ESOs and BMOs plan and implement structured, inclusive, and results-driven advocacy strategies. From stakeholder engagement to communication strategies, as well as monitoring and evaluation, the manual serves as a roadmap for enhancing the influence of ecosystem actors within Kenya's policy framework.

The toolkit is also designed to assist BMOs and ESOs in aligning their advocacy with the Fourth Medium-Term Plan (MTP IV), which outlines five key sectors for national development:

• Finance and Production: Supporting priority value chains including livestock, leather, dairy, tea, rice, edible oils, textiles, and construction materials.

• Infrastructure: Promoting connectivity and green energy through road, rail, and energy development.

• Social Sector: Enhancing UHC, digital transformation, social protection, and economic empowerment.

• Environment & Natural Resources: Supporting sustainability, pollution control, tourism, and blue economy initiatives.

• Governance & Public Administration: Advancing security and efficient service delivery through public sector reforms.

The ESO-BMO policy and advocacy toolkit is a critical enabler of systemic change. It will empower Kenya’s ecosystem actors to raise their voices, shape the policy environment, and champion reforms supporting youth and women in business.