Dear Live Your Dream Community,



October has been a month of powerful conversations, renewed energy, and meaningful steps toward building stronger, future-ready entrepreneurs. From the inspiring PowerMonday@5 End-of-Year Dinner, to a high-impact Power Monday session on becoming a global investor, and the onboarding of over 10 new trainers under the TDI–NYOTA partnership — this month reminded us just how much can happen when knowledge, community, and purpose come together.



In this edition, we reflect on the voices, insights, and milestones that shaped our October journey — each one contributing to a more empowered, skilled, and connected entrepreneurial ecosystem.



Dive in and catch up on the highlights driving our mission forward.

POWER MONDAY SPOTLIGHT

Employment contracts are signed every day — yet many people never stop to ask the right questions. What’s hidden in the fine print? What protects you? What exposes you? And what does the law actually expect from both sides?



These are the conversations that took center stage during this week’s Power Monday@5! session, led by the insightful Jackie Awuor, Human Resource and Organizational Development Consultant and Managing Partner at Falcon Insights Global Consulting.



With over 15 years of experience advising institutions across East Africa, Jackie broke down the realities behind employment and contracting with a clarity and calm confidence that instantly drew the audience in.

Instead of treating contracts as intimidating legal documents, she reframed them as relationship tools — designed to create transparency, harmony, and accountability between employers and employees.

During the session, participants were guided through:

• What every individual should look for before signing an employment contract

• How employers can avoid litigation through compliance and documentation

• The distinctions between casual, fixed-term, and permanent & pensionable roles

• Why taxes, NSSF, NHIF, and statutory deductions must be understood upfront

• How workplace fairness, structure, and culture all begin with a well-designed contract

Jackie also used real court cases to illustrate how small oversights — a missed clause, vague job description, or poor record-keeping — can result in costly disputes. Her examples were practical, relatable, and often surprising, reminding participants that prevention is always cheaper than correction.



Beyond the legal details, Jackie emphasized a deeper message:
when both parties understand their rights and obligations, workplaces become more productive, humane, and sustainable. Her passion for helping organizations build strong cultures and systems came through clearly — leaving participants more informed, more empowered, and more intentional about the agreements they enter into.



Missed this insightful conversation?
You can revisit the full session recording here. To be part of these powerful Monday morning conversations, register at:  [email protected]. We guarantee to start your week with energy and strategy.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UPTO

Power Monday@5! End of Year Dinner — Celebrating 5 years of Impact, Leadership & Community

The Power Monday@5! community wrapped up the year with a deeply inspiring End of Year Dinner at the Nairobi Club on 31st October 2025. The evening brought together entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, and long-time members for a celebration of growth, connection, and shared purpose.



Keynote Spotlight: Dr. Gilda Odera, PhD

Our Guest of Honour, Dr. Gilda Odera, delivered a powerful keynote that set the tone for the night. She reminded guests that impact is built through courageous action, curiosity, and consistency — not perfection. Her call to “step up, show up, and scale the heights of impact” left the room energized and grounded for the year ahead.



Tech & Humanity: Insights from Lucille Aveva

Lucille Aveva, Director of Customer Obsession at Safaricom PLC, offered an eye-opening session on the future of work and AI. She emphasized that technology and humanity must work hand in hand, and that customer-centred innovation thrives where empathy and digital transformation meet.



Panel: Scaling the Heights of Impact

Moderated by Dr. Melvin D’Lima, the panel brought together three dynamic voices:

• Dr. Margaret Makanyengo — on sustaining success through mental and emotional wellness

• Hellen Mtawali — on authenticity, creativity, and evolving with purpose

• Otieno Paul Peter — on embracing digital transformation as a tool for impact

Their insights highlighted that true growth blends mindset, creativity, and wellness.



A Night of Art & Celebration

The evening was enriched by a soulful performance from Nancy Moraa (Lucita the Poet) and musical brilliance from Hellen Mtawali, sample testimonials from Power Monday members, with Carolyne Nashami, Monica Nyaga, Gachoka Kang'ata and Anthony Mugo, with seamless hosting by MC Kyesubire Talitwala-Greigg. Closing reflections from Maurice Omondi and a symbolic cake-cutting led by Ciru Mugithi beautifully wrapped up the celebration.



With Appreciation

We extend heartfelt thanks to our partners — Falcon Insights Global (FIG), Oasis MHL Hospital, Faith Zinzia, and ICT Gurus East Africa — whose support made the evening possible.

Our sincere gratitude to the Power Monday board for their selfless community service and lady Noel Khasandi for the courage to co-start.

The dinner reaffirmed what Power Monday truly is: a movement committed to learning, leadership, and consistent growth. Here’s to rising even higher together in 2026.



Women in Digital Business (WIDB) ToT — Cohort 3 Nearing Completion



The third cohort of the Women in Digital Business (WIDB) Training of Trainers (ToT) program has been in full swing this month — and is now appraching its final phase. This cohort, delivered in partnership with the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITC–ILO), Microsoft Philanthropies, and ICT Gurus EA, has brought together a dynamic group of trainers committed to advancing women’s digital and entrepreneurial capacity across Kenya.



Since early October, participants have been immersed in practical, hands-on modules covering digital presence, online selling, e-commerce tools, adult learning principles, and the fundamentals of digital entrepreneurship. Each session has been designed to strengthen their capacity to train and mentor women-owned businesses with confidence, accuracy and impact.



As the cohort moves toward completion, trainers are finalizing their assessments and practicum components — preparing to graduate as ITC–ILO Certified WIDB Trainers. Once certified, they will join a growing network of changemakers equipped to deliver transformational digital skills training to women entrepreneurs across the region.



Cohort 3 has demonstrated once again the power of structured learning, global collaboration, and shared purpose in shaping Africa’s digital economy — one trainer at a time.

Strengthening Youth Skilling: LYD Partners with TDI for the NYOTA Program

Live Your Dream Enterprises (LYD) is excited to announce that we have joined hands with Training for Development Initiative Inc. (TDI), founded by Duncan Gachuhi, to support the rollout of the NYOTA (National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement) Project — a transformative initiative equipping young people in Nairobi County with practical, future-ready skills.



As part of this collaboration, LYD brought on board 10+ certified trainers, who successfully completed their NYOTA Training of Trainers (ToT) program last week. These trainers are now ready to deliver high-impact sessions across the county, focusing on Personal Development, Digital Skills and Entrepreneurial Readiness.



This partnership marks an important milestone in LYD’s journey toward strengthening youth skilling and empowering the next generation of confident, capable, and purpose-driven leaders.

Together with TDI and  other stakeholders, we are investing in the future — one empowered youth at a time..

WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT MISS

Christmas for Children

This Christmas, let's share the true meaning of giving! 🎁



PowerMonday is visiting the Precious Blood Children's Family in Kawangware on Dec 6th at 2:30 PM.

Run by dedicated Catholic Nuns, this facility transforms the lives of street-reclaimed children through rehabilitation, education, and family reunification.



We're bringing an Early Christmas full of mentorship, entertainment, and empowerment. Your support matters! You can donate cash, clothes, food, or join us in person. Let's make this a day they'll never forget!



"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving." 

- St. Mother Teresa.



RSVP & Contributions: [email protected] | +254715439331

UPCOMING ECOSYSTEM OPPORTUNITIES & EVENTS

Call for Proposal Invitation for Sub-Delegation (s) For Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA) - 24/AUDA/HCID/COYWA/SUB-DEL/2025

1. Tender Number : 24/AUDA/HCID/COYWA/SUB-DEL/2025
2. Title/Description of Tender: : Invitation for Sub-Delegation (s) For Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA)
3. Issuer/Department/Organ of State: AUDA NEPAD
4. Region/Province: Countries in the following selected RECs (EAC, COMESA, SADC, ECOWAS and ECCAS).
5. Category/Sector: Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) private sector, and public institutions
6. Tender Type: Sub-Delegation Call for Proposal
7. Advertised/Issue Date: 20 October 2025
8. Closing Date and Time: 30 November 2025 at 17:00hrs (South African Time)
9. Enquiries Contact Person Name & contact details:

Head of Procurement, Grants and Sub-Delegation

AUDA-NEPAD

230, 15th Road, P. O. Box 218 Midrand,

1685 Johannesburg, South Africa



Application link:  https://www.nepad.org/tenders/...

Email: [email protected] and copied to [email protected] ; [email protected], and [email protected]

The Retail Operators Investment Forum

Are you running a small retail business and looking for investment?

Impact Hub Nairobi is collaborating with Prometheus to find strong operators running businesses like:
* Hair salons, nail bars, braiding shops
* Juice, milk tea, ice cream, or small refreshment kiosks
* Fish, chicken, eggs, butcheries, mini-delis
* Small neighbourhood convenience shops

We’re looking for businesses with steady sales, effective operations, and plans for growth.
What you’ll get:
* A simple breakdown of Prometheus’ investment model
* Tips to prepare your outlet for funding
* A chance to be shortlisted for their next investment round

Date: 21st November
Time: 9 AM - 12:30PM
Location: Ikigai Riverside

If you’re ready to grow, apply here: https://luma.com/njfvyu7y



KAYANA Create



In celebration of this year's Global Entrepreneurship Week theme — Together We Build — we invite women entrepreneurs from all sectors to join us for a candid conversation about the realities, challenges, and triumphs of being a woman in business today.

🗓️20 November 2025, from 5:30 PM
📍 Kayana Create
🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/3LBbFG2

Across industries, significant investments have been made to support women entrepreneurs. But we want to hear from you:
Have you felt that support? Has it reached you where it matters most?

And as we look toward 2026, we’re asking an even more important question:
If you could redesign the kind of support that would truly move your business or start-up forward, what would it look like?

We look forward to sharing this meaningful conversation with you.

See you there.

✍The Knowledge Corner✍

The Rise of Micro-Investing in Africa

Did you know that micro-investing platforms are becoming one of the fastest-growing pathways for first-time investors in Africa?

With digital tools lowering the barrier to entry, entrepreneurs and young professionals can now start investing with as little as KES 100 — gaining exposure to local and global markets without the traditional complexity.

What makes this powerful?

• It builds a savings and investment culture

• It allows MSMEs to diversify income streams

• It gives entrepreneurs real-time insights into market behaviour

• It enables wealth creation even in small, consistent steps

As more African fintech platforms embrace fractional investing, the future is clear: financial empowerment is becoming accessible, participatory, and digital.



Now you know, stay tuned for the next Knowledge corner!



Let us know what you'd like us to include in the upcoming newsletters; email to [email protected].

Live Your Dream provides simple, affordable, and holistic growth solutions to owner-managed MSMEs, enabling them to grow profitable and sustainable businesses.



With a focus on African entrepreneurs CREATING & BUILDING their businesses, its foundational commitment lies in providing comprehensive capacity-building interventions designed to foster sustainable development. The organization offers a broad portfolio of services, including various forms of Training, Business Development Services (BDS) such as Mentorship, Coaching, and Advisory. Additionally, LYD provides Training of Trainers (TOTs), Consulting, Leadership, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.



To partner, or for any questions or inquiries, you can reach out to us via: [email protected]



Contact details Phone number: 0735448445 or 0733666924

email address: [email protected]

P.O. BOX 101748-00101 Nairobi, Kenya