An Interview with Joseph Ombam, Mkono’s Kenya Growth Catalyst Consultant

Last spring, we welcomed Joseph Ombam as our Kenya Growth Catalyst Consultant. Recently, we sat down with him to get to know him better. In this interview, Joseph shares his background, goals in his new role, and thoughts on Mkono’s impact.

Joseph Ombam

" I am excited to join Mkono as the Kenya Growth Catalyst Consultant. I am coming into this role with vast experience in finance, administration, and operations from my previous engagements locally in Kenya with renowned international non-profit organizations. 
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My role at Mkono cuts across the whole entrepreneurship ecosystem to elevate both the input and output, from the CONTRIBUTORS (Mkono donors & Mkono allies) to the ENABLERS (Mkono's team) and eventually to the ENTREPRENEURS whom we look to reach all over Kenya. 

I am looking forward to great collaborations across the board to realize the intended growth and beyond in the coming year. "

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A Bit About Joseph

After completing a bachelor's in mathematics and computer science at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Joseph ventured into the non-profit sector, working at Partners for Health and Development in Africa. There, he managed and organized various donor-funded projects. During the same time, he went back to school to complete an MBA in finance at the University of Nairobi. In his own words, it is clear that he’s always been passionate about entrepreneurship!

Getting Involved with Mkono

When Joseph was introduced to Mkono, he noticed two features that differentiate our organization from other microfinance facilities – interest-free loans and mentorship. As such, he felt that the services we offer “touched the common entrepreneur” by tackling the two main hurdles they face: financial support and lack of knowledge. And so, seeing the potential of Mkono’s model, he was encouraged to join our team.


Growing at Mkono

When asked about one thing he’s learned during his time at Mkono, Joseph promptly mentioned collaboration. More specifically, “collaboration regardless of where you are”. Previously, he was used to in-person teamwork. But at Mkono, where our team is spread across different parts of the world, collaboration happens a bit differently – through email, Slack, and other platforms – how we take advantage of technology, and “the trust that everybody can perform their duties” allows us to still achieve our goals, 

Another thing Joseph cherishes about Mkono is the friendliness and openness of our community. “It’s an open door policy,” he explained, “you’re free to discuss openly to anybody what you feel will help Mkono achieve their goals.”

“ Everybody is friendly here. Everybody is excited to get to know you! ”

Leading at Mkono

As a Growth Catalyst Consultant, Joseph hopes the most to see more entrepreneurs being supported by Mkono. He plans to engage with more local communities and expand our mentorship program. Lastly, he would like to grow Mkono’s donation base in Kenya by connecting with local corporate sponsors and calling out to individual donors. In doing so, “we are able to have more Kenyan funds to support Kenyan entrepreneurs.”

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• Explore the different volunteering roles at Mkono here.
• Check out our latest interview with Soulemane Diaoune, Mkono’s Head of Tech here.
• A brand new Mawazo article is out! Here’s the link.