UNC and Duke students team up to provide support for entrepreneurs in Kenya

Though it may be hard to believe — especially considering last week's game — it's possible to set aside the UNC-Duke University rivalry to focus on a mutual goal. That's what Wali Khan, a sophomore at UNC, and Ahmed Salat, a junior from Duke, have done with a new startup that combines the pair's talents to support business development in rural Kenya.

Khan and Salat initially met through mutual friends. Salat is a public policy and Arabic major, while Khan studies computer science, political science and business. 

Salat himself grew up in Wajir County in Northern Kenya, where the work of the pair's startup is concentrated.

“I wanted to support young people in my home country who have graduated from technical and vocational education training institutes with very useful skills, but do not have the capital to start their own business to provide service for the community," Salat said. 

Northern Kenya is generally rural, highly impoverished and disenfranchised, Khan said. 

When they met, Khan soon came to realize the problems Salat was describing existed in his community in High Point, North Carolina, as well. 

“I’m from Pakistan, as well, I was actually born there,” Khan said. “This problem is seen all around the world, and so we focused it down to this idea of minorities being disenfranchised and not given the same opportunities as everybody else."

In places such as Wajir County, communities lack government support and infrastructure simply isn’t there to support the development of new businesses, Khan said.

Khan said the opportunity gap in Northern parts of Kenya is comparable to the disparities of wealth that occur in Charlotte, North Carolina, emphasizing that this trend is seen all around the world. 

“What we’re really trying to do with this project is that we wanted to hit an issue where not only does it seep into other sectors, but creates growth for the future generations," Khan said.

Salat and Khan’s startup will provide opportunities for graduates of technical and vocational schools and local business owners to progress their businesses. 

Salat and Khan said they have a list of all the students in Wajir and are creating an application that will be sent out to those who seek extra financial support and mentorship in growing their businesses. 

Khan and Salat will then pick which companies or businesses they want to sponsor and will provide these businesses with grants. Another aspect of the project is mentorship: Khan and Salat will be contacting other business owners within Kenya to provide mentorship to newer or less experienced entrepreneurs.

Jaki Bonilla, Campus Y social innovation initiatives coordinator, helped mentor Khan and Salat as they launched their startup. She said she got involved when they pitched the project for the Kenan Biddle Partnership, a partnership that provides financial backing to social or environmental projects led by students from both Duke and UNC.

“I admired the work they had already done in Wajir, and their commitment to improving the quality of life of its community members," Bonilla said in an email.  

Khan said they're working to develop the application for business owners now. He hopes that the startup helps bridge the opportunity gap in Wajir County.

 "What we hope to see is that economic revitalization in that community and growth," Khan said. "And then with that growth comes social changes. It all starts from that." 

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