• The training is designed to equip women with knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions, manage their enterprises more effectively, and unlock further growth opportunities.

Equity Bank’s enhanced Fanikisha initiative is rewriting the story of women in business across Kenya. Designed as a women-focused financial literacy and entrepreneurship program, Fanikisha equips female entrepreneurs with practical skills—budgeting, debt management, digital literacy, and banking know-how—that help them build resilient enterprises and unlock financial opportunities.

Recently, 74 women in Kwale County walked proudly across a graduation stage, certificates in hand, after completing the program. Their success underscored the initiative’s ongoing impact nationwide and offered a powerful reminder of how financial education can transform lives.

Launched in 2007 in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Fanikisha began as a bold experiment to bridge the gap between women and access to training, credit, and growth opportunities.

Over time, Equity Bank enhanced the program to meet modern challenges, weaving in mobile banking, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship coaching. Today, more than 2.5 million women have passed through its doors, and the bank has disbursed over Kshs 565 billion to support women-led enterprises.

In Kwale, the graduation ceremony became more than a milestone—it was a statement of intent. Governor Fatuma Achani praised Equity Bank’s commitment, noting:

Read More

  1. Nakumatt: The Retail Giant That Rose in Nakuru and Fell Across East Africa
  2. Kenya, US Deepen Ties in Health, Trade, and Security
  3. Health CS Rejects Fraudulent Claims, Insists System Works

“The support goes beyond just financing; it empowers women with business and investment mentorship. This is key to sustaining families and creating employment in Kwale.”


 Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani( right) and Managing Director Equity Bank Kenya Moses Nyambana handing over a certificate to a graduant Amina Mumba. (Photo/Courtesy)

Managing Director Moses Nyabanda underscored the strategic importance of financial education for entrepreneurs:

“Fanikisha is not just about lending; it’s about offering a structured, tiered pathway that provides women entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed, including mentorship, financial literacy, and business management training.”

The program’s holistic design eliminates barriers that have historically held women back—restricted access to funding, limited business networks, and scarce market opportunities. Dr. Silpah Owich, Head of Women and Youth Banking at Equity Bank Kenya, reiterated the program’s comprehensive nature:

 “Fanikisha is a gateway to business training, mentorship, and community support that helps women succeed.”

Behind the statistics are real stories of transformation. Entrepreneurs such as Susana Musomba, a free-range chicken trader, and Beth Wanjiku, a school uniform distributor, have testified to how Fanikisha helped them overcome financing hurdles and expand their ventures.

The Kwale graduation may have captured headlines, but the ripple effects extend far beyond the coastal county. In Nakuru, Nairobi, and across Kenya, women are seizing the tools *Fanikisha* offers to rewrite their futures. Each certificate handed out is more than paper—it is a passport to confidence, independence, and economic empowerment.

Stay connected with us on WhatsApp and Facebook for instant updates and breaking news as it happens.