TradeMark Africa, KNCCI Launch Online Platform for Women Traders

TradeMark Africa (TMA) in partnership with Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) through the support of Global Affairs Canada, have launched an integrated information platform iSOKO.

Developed to support women in trade across East Africa access and use vital and simplified information, iSOKO will facilitate their involvement in trade, encourage the formalization of their businesses, and ultimately promote an increase in the value of trade.

A web and mobile platform for women traders, iSOKO will provide a regional marketplace to buy and sell goods, vital trade and market information, business management tools including bookkeeping, access to verified service providers and networking opportunities with fellow traders.

The platform will serve to bring together women traders from five countries in the East African Community — Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi.

In attendance was the Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya who stressed the importance of including women in initiatives steering development.

“Having women at the centre in how we do development, foreign policy and trade, is effective, and helps us to meet our development objectives,” said the Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya Christopher Thornley

According to Dr. Bruno Linyiru, the Secretary for Trade in the State Department for Trade, the iSOKO platform will play a vital role in enhancing the lives of women traders. It will help increase their income, enhance their bargaining power, and promote their economic independence.

This initiative is aligned with our broader objective of promoting gender equality and empowering women across all areas of society.

Other speakers included TMA Chief of Programmes Allen Asiimwe, who said the organization had been working with women traders in the region for over a decade. “With trade, women are able to better their homes, communities and families.”

Speaking at the event, KNCCI Chamber President Richard Ngatia noted that the platform was already gaining significant attention and usage from traders within the country.

‘’Through our County chamber and Women in Business arm we have onboarded 2,650 users onto the platform with information on over 100 commodities uploaded, we expect the numbers to grow significantly after this launch” said Ngatia.

The portal provides free access to women traders who wish to register. This project is expected to go a long way in increasing the trade value and incomes of women traders across the region, especially those engaged in informal trade.

The Kenya launch is the first in the region and will be followed in the coming weeks with launches in the other four East African countries targeted in this programme.