Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
When accepted onto the program, The Zena Launch Pad provides a tailored short term employment contract for each woman.
Together, Zena program members craft our Collection of Ankole Cattle Horn goods sold in the US and UK.
The salary they are paid is split into 40% (living costs above the poverty line) and 60% (banked as savings for start up capital).
Zena program members receive weekly entrepreneurship training, literacy tutoring and 1-1 leadership mentoring.
Entrepreneurship training is split into
four components:
In an effort to employ a comprehensive approach to training, we have designed a multi-phased training program that is intended to not only provide knowledge-based training but also aid the transformative process of a psychological mindset shift. This training is intended to equip our entrepreneurs to develop behaviours that are consistent with taking a personal initiative, therefore empowering them to establish healthy and sustainable businesses. The Entrepreneurship Training Program is split into four phases:
Phase I: Knowledge-Based Training Sessions
We believe that an entrepreneur needs integrated training to learn the skills necessary to make rational entrepreneurial decisions. In addition to acquiring hard business skills, it is necessary for the entrepreneur to develop holistically and in confidence as a leader who can express themselves. We deliver theoretical concepts in an interactive physical classroom setting, in these core areas: Entrepreneurship, Literacy & Numeracy, Holistic Development and Leadership.
Phase II: Technical skills Training
We believe in the power of community as a very effective engine to equip entrepreneurs on their entrepreneurial journey. Our group of entrepreneurs represents a diverse range of businesses, each of which requires a unique set of skills. Our tailored training approach sets out to equip our program members with the core industry-specific skills required to grow their businesses by facilitating opportunities where the women can connect and learn through training sessions led by seasoned entrepreneurs and industry-specific experts in the community and larger eco-system.
Phase III: Practical Training projects
We run short term practical projects to allow program members to put to practice learned theoretical business tools in a safe controlled environment through, facilitating Group Business Projects and opportunities to serve in Leadership positions in the workshop at our HQ.
Phase IV : One on One Mentorship Sessions
Every program member at the Zena Launchpad represents a unique business idea, personality, background, level of experience & understanding. To address our program members' unique needs at a personal level, we offer one on one mentorship sessions. This phase runs from the beginning of the entrepreneur's training period and continues even after her business has been launched. These mentorship sessions are intended to guide the entrepreneur through; Business Model Development, Budget Development & Execution, Business Launch and Post-Launch operations.
