On 22nd April 2025, KEPSA Foundation Executive Director, Ms. Gloria Ndekei, held a strategic meeting with the Ambassador of Hungary to Kenya, H.E. Mr. Zsolt Mészáros, to explore potential areas of collaboration aimed at contributing to the socio-economic development and sustainability of the country. Discussions focused on several key areas of synergy, including promoting sustainable household nutrition, which is aligned with KEPSA Foundation’s key areas, such as Kijani Initiative and promotion of Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN).
Other areas of interest included participation in the upcoming Education Hungary Fair, which supports KEPSA Foundation’s focus on empowering vulnerable young women and men, and engagement in the forthcoming Hungary-Kenya Business Forum.
Ms. Gloria Ndekei elaborated on KEPSA Foundation’s pivotal role in advancing socio-economic development by empowering businesses to enhance their global competitiveness. This is achieved through advocacy for the implementation of the Key Principles of Responsible Investment (KPRI), alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and a strong focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.
She impressed upon the Ambassador that the Foundation was keen on partnering with the Embassy to pursue shared socio-economic objectives. In this context, she outlined the Foundation’s five key priority areas and the strategic approaches that underpin each:
- Promoting Sustainable Environmental and Conservation Practices – through tree planting, and the establishment of orchards and nurseries in schools and communities.
- Fostering Governance and a National Value System – through the Mkenya Daima initiative, which promotes active citizenship and national cohesion.
- Enhancing Entrepreneurship and Job Creation for Vulnerable Communities – by boosting employability, supporting the upward mobility of young women, promoting disability inclusion within the private sector, and community empowerment and participation around; Adopt a borehole concept; Goat milk processing; Rabbit and Bee keeping; and Textiles value chain for youth and women
- Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration – by leveraging data generated from private sector-led social programs to inform and scale impactful initiatives.
- Community Outreach, Partnerships, and Networks – through coordinated responses to community needs, including disaster preparedness and relief efforts.
H.E. Mr. Zsolt Mészáros highlighted the longstanding partnership between Hungary and Kenya, citing key collaborative projects such as the rehabilitation of the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kisumu County and the Kabonyo Fisheries initiative. He also noted the success of Hungary’s scholarship program, which has so far benefitted over 700 Kenyan students.
In addition, he shared that the Government of Hungary has established a demonstration farm in Kirinyaga County to showcase Hungarian agricultural technology and trial Hungarian seed varieties in Kenyan conditions. He emphasised the significance of this initiative by referencing the parental demo farm located within an agricultural university in Hungary, where Kenyan students are playing a leading role in agrarian experiments, demonstrating the positive ripple effect of such collaborations.
H.E. Mr. Mészáros also underscored ongoing partnerships between Hungarian and Kenyan companies in areas such as distributorship, financing, and capacity building, all of which aim to enhance productivity and provide socio-economic support.
H.E. Mr. Mészáros was accompanied by Mr. Balogh Zsombor while Ms. Ndekei was accompanied by Socio Economic and Community Outreach Manager, Ms. Caroline Kawira and Sheila Muramba.
