True economic transformation happens when the gap between high-level funding and ground-level reality is bridged — and that was the driving message as Somo Africa stepped onto the national stage as a core execution partner in Kenya's green economy.
The Launch
On May 12th, Somo Africa's CEO Catherine Masolia, alongside colleagues Wilkister Adie and Celestine Otieno, joined consortium partners at United States International University – Africa (USIU-Africa) to officially launch the EU SWITCH Kenya Green "Tujenge Pamoja" program.
Somo Africa is stepping in as a core execution engine powering the initiative, working alongside a consortium that includes Hivos, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), USIU-Africa, and KCB Bank Group — with funding and backing from the European Union.
Formalizing the Green Economy's Unsung Heroes
At the launch, Somo's position was clear: sustainable impact in the circular economy will only be realized when the green economy's unsung heroes — grassroots workers like local waste pickers — are formalized, protected, and scaled. Rather than being seen as simply a cleanup workforce, these workers represent an untapped market segment ready to be brought into the formal economy.
Somo's Role: The Operational Link
Somo's specific contribution to the consortium is acting as the vital link between funding and the enterprises on the ground. This includes:
- Equipping grassroots, eco-inclusive MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) with digital business tools for financial tracking and regulatory compliance
- Providing direct access to Tengeneza shared production facilities
- De-risking green enterprises by standardizing their operations, making them investment-ready to absorb catalytic funding
This infrastructure-and-tools approach reflects Somo's broader model: rather than one-off grants, building the systems that let small green enterprises graduate into bankable, fundable businesses.
A Model of Collective Action
Somo extended appreciation to the European Union for championing this collaborative model — one that the consortium sees as proof that meaningful transformation requires all stakeholders working as equal partners, from government-adjacent bodies and private sector alliances to banks and grassroots-facing organizations like Somo.