The International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned that almost 25 million jobs could be lost worldwide as a result of the covid-19 coronavirus.
This prediction is the reality on the ground already since many people have closed their businesses to stay away from the risk of infection in Kenya. Many Kenyans survive on daily wages from casual labour and with the lockdown of some of the sectors that create opportunities for many of them, life is shifting from bad to worse.
But when we fall, we should get up again and continue with life.
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The coronavirus pandemic is just a bump on the road for many and once this has passed, those who plan for what comes next will be the ones to reap the benefits.
There are several opportunities to get from this season and one of them is creating a business which could provide the solutions people will be seeking once the outbreak has been controlled.
Food
With this in mind, food tops the list.
This is the time for small farmers to position themselves for future post-coronavirus. Since people will always eat, the idea is to ensure that for the small producers, they can start planning to grow their businesses by growing foods that are always in demands.
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Greens and vegetables are hard to come by and only in plenty during the rainy seasons. If the small farmer can plan to be producing these throughout the year, then they are well placed for life after the virus which has forced the world to a lockdown.
Coding
Another opportunity lies in small day to day chores like cleaning, cooking etc.
Companies like SwiftAide are already creating an ecosystem where whatever service provider you need is available from the comfort of your home.
SwiftAide is a pool of service providers and users on one platform where convenience, quality and reliability are offered in an ecosystem that is meant to make life easier for users especially job seekers and those seeking services.
For those who can code, creating a similar solution for the needs many people have will definitely be a worthwhile investment.
Recycling
If you are saving the earth, then recycling could be your thing.
Recycling has become a whole employment sector by itself with support from governments, UN bodies and corporates.
In Kenya, plastic waste is a big challenge but it also has immense opportunities for those who can venture into it.
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers CEO, Phyllis Wakiaga, says that the plastics value chain in Kenya is working collaboratively to find ways of enhancing the circularity of the plastic material.
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With this kind of approach, anyone who ventures into this will no doubt make hay while the sun shines.
Already, there are companies targeting innovators from universities and colleges, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the Jua Kali sector to provide recycling services.
One such initiative is driven by plastic waste recycle social enterprise T3 (Trash Thread Textile). The aim of the challenge is to seek an innovative way of providing baling to the plastic waste management industry.
Eventually, it seeks to create a baling company in Kenya, by Kenyans as a means of evolving a baling industry in the country.
Baling involves the compression of bulky materials into easier packages. The technique is popular among hay farmers, but also functions with plastic waste management.
Value Addition
There are many opportunities that lie in adding value to products and service in Kenya. For instance, sine agriculture remains the country’s economic backbone, it means that there is still more that needs to be done to add value to what Kenyans produce.
For instance, many farmers produce milk and sell it as it is while there is still so much more that could be done to double or triple the prices one gets for their fresh milk.
What of producing yoghurt, creams, butter, cheeses etc? By so doing,, a farmer will make so much more from their milk than just retailing it when fresh.
Other services that can do with value addition are event planning, deejaying and many more that could earn you a pretty penny when done right.
While there are many opportunities out here, the post-coronavirus period will bring these and more and only the innovative will manage to reap from it.
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