Kenya's Commerce for Good

Every Purchase
Funds the Next Generation
of Kenya's Builders.

The SOKONI Foundation is a non-profit initiative that channels 1% of every transaction on the platform into digital education, youth entrepreneurship, and economic inclusion β€” across all 47 counties.

Numbers That Tell
the Real Story

Live impact data from the SOKONI Foundation. Every figure represents a Kenyan whose life has been touched.

0
Youth Trained
in Digital Skills
0
Micro-Grants
Disbursed
0
Counties
Reached
KES 0
Total Funds
Deployed
0
Market Vendors
Brought Online
52%
Female
Beneficiaries
0
Jobs Created
by Grantees
47
Target Counties
by 2027
1%

Every Transaction. Every Time.

SOKONI automatically contributes 1% of every completed transaction on the platform to the Foundation β€” no opt-in required. Every time a buyer pays, a seller earns, or a driver delivers, the Foundation grows. Commerce becomes a force for good.

1%
of every transaction
100%
to verified programs
0
admin deductions
πŸ’› Add a Personal Contribution

Five Pillars.
One Vision: A Thriving Kenya.

Each program targets a specific barrier preventing young Kenyans from participating in the digital economy.

πŸŽ“
Sokoni Scholars
Digital Skills Academy
Full-scholarship digital skills programme for 100 top youth per cohort. Covers web design, e-commerce, digital marketing, data entry and online freelancing. 90-day intensive, fully online β€” no laptop required at start (we provide one).
πŸ† 100 scholars/cohort Β· 4 cohorts per year
πŸ’» Laptop + airtime provided to every scholar
πŸ‘©β€πŸ’Ό
She Sells
Women Entrepreneur Fund
Zero-interest grants of KES 5,000–50,000 for women-owned small businesses. Paired with a 6-month mentorship from successful Kenyan women entrepreneurs. Priority given to single mothers and first-time business owners.
πŸ’° KES 5K – 50K per grantee Β· Zero interest
πŸ‘― 6-month mentorship included for every recipient
🌐
Digital Villages
Rural Commerce Hubs
Physical digital access hubs in underserved areas β€” equipped with computers, Wi-Fi, printing, and a trained digital assistant. Goal: one hub in each of Kenya's 47 counties. Informal market vendors register on SOKONI for free at every hub.
πŸ—ΊοΈ 18 hubs active Β· 29 more planned
πŸ“‘ Free Wi-Fi + device access for all community members
πŸš€
Youth Inc.
Micro-Grant for Young Founders
Any Kenyan aged 18–30 with a business idea can apply. Grants of KES 5,000–25,000 with no repayment if business runs for 12 months. Business plan template, accounting tools, and seller onboarding to SOKONI all included.
🎯 Age 18–30 Β· No prior experience required
πŸ“‹ Business plan support provided to every applicant
🀝
Trade Corps
Informal Market Digitisation
Partnering with county governments to train informal market vendors β€” Gikomba, Toi, Kongowea, Muthurwa β€” to sell online through SOKONI. Includes subsidised smartphones, 6-month data, and a dedicated seller buddy for the first 90 days.
πŸͺ 680+ vendors already on SOKONI
πŸ“± Subsidised phone + 6mo data for every new vendor
⭐
Foundation Ambassadors
Inspire. Mentor. Invest.
High-profile Kenyans β€” athletes, artists, business leaders, content creators β€” who pledge their visibility and voice to raise awareness, mentor scholars, and match-fund contributions. Each ambassador backs at least two beneficiaries personally.
🌟 14 ambassadors · Open to nominations
πŸ’¬ Each mentors 2 beneficiaries directly per year

Every Shilling
Accounted For.

We publish quarterly reports showing exactly where every contributed Shilling goes. Zero hidden costs. Board oversight on every disbursement over KES 10,000.

πŸ“„ Download 2025 Annual Report πŸ’¬ Request Audit
2025 Fund Allocation
πŸŽ“ Scholar Grants38%
πŸ’Ό Entrepreneur Micro-Grants28%
🌐 Digital Hubs Setup18%
πŸ“± Device Subsidies10%
βš™οΈ Operations6%
βœ… Independently audited by Grant Thornton Kenya Β· Full report available on request

Real People.
Real Change.

These are not statistics. These are names, faces, and futures that the Foundation helped build.

I was selling secondhand clothes from Gikomba with no phone, no way to reach customers beyond my physical stall. Trade Corps gave me a smartphone, set up my SOKONI shop, and in three months I had 140 online orders. My income doubled.

W
Wanjiku Kamau
Fashion Seller Β· Gikomba Market, Nairobi
βœ… Trade Corps Graduate

She Sells changed everything. I had the talent to bake but no capital for a proper oven. The KES 30,000 grant paid for equipment. I now supply three cafes in Mombasa and employ two women from my estate.

F
Fatuma Ali
Bakery Owner Β· Mombasa
πŸ’œ She Sells Grantee

I failed to get university funding. Sokoni Scholars accepted me, taught me web design in 90 days, then connected me with my first freelance client. I now earn more than most of my university friends.

B
Brian Ochieng
Freelance Web Designer Β· Kisumu
πŸŽ“ Sokoni Scholar 2024

Where We're Going

A five-year plan to make economic opportunity genuinely accessible to every Kenyan β€” regardless of county, gender, or education level.

Q1 2024 Foundation Launch Done
Foundation structure established, first 1% contribution mechanism live, 3 pilot Digital Village hubs opened in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
Q3 2024 Sokoni Scholars β€” Cohort 1 Done
First 100 scholars graduated. 78% found employment or freelance income within 60 days of completion. 14 started their own digital businesses.
2025 She Sells Expansion + 18 Hubs In Progress
She Sells fund reaches KES 2M. Digital Village hubs reach 18 counties. Trade Corps onboards 1,000 informal vendors. Youth Inc first class graduates.
2026 Corporate Partnership Drive Upcoming
50 corporate partners. Foundation NGO registration complete (KE-NGO-2026). Annual Gala in Nairobi with impact showcase. First annual report published publicly.
2027 All 47 Counties β€” Full Coverage Vision
A Digital Village hub in every county. 5,000 scholars graduated. KES 20M in micro-grants disbursed. Foundation self-sustaining from SOKONI's 1% contribution alone.

Corporate Partners
Who Back the Vision

Our partners don't just donate β€” they match contributions, provide mentors, offer employment to graduates, and sponsor entire cohorts.

🏦 Equity Foundation Gold
πŸ“± Safaricom Gold
🌱 Citi Foundation Gold
🏒 Microsoft Africa Silver
🌍 GIZ Kenya Silver
πŸ’‘ Mastercard Foundation Gold
πŸŽ“ Strathmore University Silver
πŸ“¦ Twiga Foods Silver

Interested in becoming a corporate partner? Let's talk about how your organisation can make a lasting impact.

πŸ’Ό Partner With Us

Foundation Board

Every disbursement over KES 10,000 requires board approval. Our board combines commerce, technology, legal, and community expertise.

πŸ‘€
Alex Ogutu
Founder & Chair
SOKONI Platform Β· Commerce
βš–οΈ
Board Vacancy
Legal & Compliance
NGO Law Β· Kenya Regulations
πŸ’°
Board Vacancy
Finance & Audit
CPA Β· Grant Management
🌍
Board Vacancy
Community & Programs
Youth Development Β· Education
πŸ“‹ We are actively seeking board members with expertise in NGO governance, education technology, or impact investing. Express your interest β†’

Start Your
Application Today

Applications are open year-round. We review every submission β€” no application is too small. If we can't fund you now, we'll add you to the next cohort.

πŸŽ“ Sokoni Scholars: Open to Kenyans aged 16–30. No prior digital skills needed. We provide everything β€” device, airtime, and instructor access. One 90-day cohort starts every quarter.

Every Contribution
Funds a Future

100% of individual contributions go directly to programs. No admin deductions. Receipts issued on WhatsApp within 24 hours.

KES 500
Covers one week's airtime
for a Sokoni Scholar
KES 5,000
Fully funds a She Sells
starter grant
KES 10,000
Subsidises a smartphone
for a Trade Corps vendor
KES 50,000
Sponsors a full Sokoni
Scholar for one cohort
Choose Amount
How to Donate via M-Pesa
1. Open M-PESA β†’ tap Send Money
2. Number: 0705 726 803
3. Amount: KES 500
4. Reference: SOKONI FOUNDATION
All contributions received by SOKONI Foundation Β· Registration pending (KE-NGO-2026)
Receipts issued via WhatsApp within 24 hrs Β· 100% to programs β€” no deductions
Commerce That
Builds Kenya.

Shop on SOKONI. Sell on SOKONI. Every transaction already contributes. Add a personal donation to multiply your impact.

πŸŽ“ Apply for a Program πŸ’› Donate πŸ’¬ Contact Us