Nehemiah Project International Ministries (NPIM) and Biblical Entrepreneurship were first introduced in Kenya in 2013 with great promise.
Kenya won their first International Biblical Entrepreneurship business plan competition in 2014, and we later held the first Nehemiah Week Conference ever held in Africa in Nairobi, Kenya in 2015. We were convinced that Kenya was going to lead the way to create a successful and sustainable Nehemiah entrepreneurship training and coaching program that will serve as a model for the continent of Africa; after all, Kenya is known by many as the Pride of Africa.
This dream however would be short-lived. The Nehemiah Project Kenya Country director who was a Rwandan native would accept a job in his home country; to work with the Clinton Global Initiative, leaving Kenya without national leadership or a Biblical Entrepreneurship Certified Trainer and Coach. NPIM and Biblical Entrepreneurship would be inactive in Kenya for the next three years.
Our hearts were broken, but we believed God was not done with Kenya yet. The Kenya people continued to pray and reach out to the NPIM US office to request that we would relaunch the work in Kenya but we could not because we did not have a leader. NPIM’s expansion policy is that we do not go into a market without a local leader initiating the request and being willing to take responsibility for the work.
We continue to wait patiently, praying and waiting for God to send a leader. Finally, a young man listening to Hope FM, one of the most popular Christian radio stations in Kenya reached out and registered for Biblical Entrepreneurship online. Frank Kitonga had just left his corporate job and with his severance package decided to invest in an entrepreneurship training and coaching program to help him launch his new company.
Frank Kitonga completed Biblical Entrepreneurship and competed in the 2018 Biblical Entrepreneurship International Business Plan Competition, ultimately winning second place with a business plan focused on launching a farming business. He used the cash prize he received from winning second place to purchase a license to bring NPIM and Biblical Entrepreneurship back to Kenya.
Initially Frank wanted to run his new business while training and coaching entrepreneurs in Kenya at the same time but he soon realized that his heart was more into the training and coaching of entrepreneurs than his farming business so he decided to close the business and focus all his energy on Nehemiah Project Kenya and the Nairobi Entrepreneurship Community Center.
His first year was great in terms of impact but not good in terms of the Biblical Entrepreneurship International Business Plan Competition. His competitor lost the Africa Regional Competition and did not make it to the International competition. Disappointed by the outcome, Frank and his team were determined to learn from their mistake and come back even stronger.
As a result, the Nairobi Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community Center led by Frank Kitonga produced first-place winners of the Biblical Entrepreneurship International Business Plan Competition for the next three years. This made them the first country to win it three years back to back; his winners included Nina Mutegi of the Mirema School, the 2020 winner, Rina Hicks of Money Wise and Faida Investment Bank, the 2021 winner, and finally Dominic Gitau with Joy Fresh Produce Limited, the 2022 winner. Frank has also helped one of his local Certified Trainers and Coaches, Lorna Mutegi launch her own Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community Center called Sunergos with a vision to impact Africa.
On Saturday, February 4th, 2022 we will celebrate the Kenya Miracle with our donors and Investors. Come hear from Frank Kitonga, Lorna Mutegi, and these Kenya Biblical Entrepreneurs as they share their journey of winning the coveted Biblical Entrepreneurship International Business Plan Competition three years in a row.
How were they able to beat France, the United States of America, India, and Australia three years in a row? Join us at the 2023 Donor and Investor Appreciation Virtual Event to find out! Click HERE to register today.
Interested to know more about upcoming events and educational opportunities offered by the Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community? Click HERE!