A Kenyan agricultural SME's view on ARD

Grace Mueni Nyaa is the founder of the Kyome Fresh Company Ltd. This December was the first time Grace Mueni Nyaa ever set foot in Brussels. She was invited to the European Development Days to tell the story about how her village, Kyome, in just seven years, became a viable agricultural co-operative. Thanks to logistic and technical support from the European Union, Kyome’s fruits and vegetables meet international standards, and the Kyome Fresh Company exports to developed countries worldwide. Grace embodies a vision of the future of European development aid.

“The help that is coming to Africa is really good from the developed countries, but I feel Africa needs to get to a level where it becomes self-sufficient. Of course, when you have a stronger brother who holds your hand, you can cross the bridge. But you have to grow up at some point where you can cross the bridge by yourself.”

Grace Mueni Nyaa, from Kenya, working as a Managing Director, Kyome Frehs Company Limited has watched her company to grow from initial capital base of €2600 to €140.000 in seven years down the line with an average annual sales turnover of €1.6 million! Her vision for Kyome is to propel it to be a lead exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables Africa and more so while along the way eradicating poverty and creating self-reliance to the workers. Audio file of  Grace Mueni Nyaa at the European Development days panel on SMEs. She witnisses her support she received from ColeACP.