As part of Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (IYBA WE4A) with Goodwell’s partnership, we’re pleased to introduce you to our latest loan recipients: two in Kenya and our first-ever investment in Malawi.
Earlier this year, we announced the first four of the 35 business loan recipients through IYBA WE4A partnership with Goodwell. Co-financed by multiple organisations, the partnership aims to improve financial access for women leading African businesses in climate-forward sectors like transport and logistics, clean energy, and sustainable agriculture.
Goodwell is focusing on Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Malawi for this initiative, and we’re excited to announce our first successful loan candidate in Malawi! The country is a new market for Goodwell, and we’re inspired by the possibilities we’re exploring there. Malawi’s relative stability, rich natural resources, and resilient economy provide an attractive investment environment, but we’re especially enthusiastic about the entrepreneurs we’ve met there. Their drive and motivation, often in the face of challenging circumstances for small businesses, reiterate the importance of support from programmes like IYBA WE4A.
We have a healthy pipeline of loan candidates in all four target countries and will share more details in the coming months. Until then, join us in congratulating the three latest business loan recipients who are demonstrating the promise of East and Southern Africa’s female entrepreneurs:
Drone Link (Malawi)
A women-led Malawian agritech enterprise, Drone Link provides precision drone services to commercial farmers, cooperatives and agribusinesses, combining aerial crop and soil mapping, pest and disease detection, regenerative agriculture advice, and digital analytics through a proprietary web platform. Founded by Rachel Kaunda in 2021, she combined her skills as an earth scientist and drone pilot to address some of Malawi’s most pressing agricultural challenges.
Drone Link’s clients include medium-to-large commercial farmers (100+ hectares), cooperatives, and agribusinesses growing soybean, tea, coffee, sugarcane and horticulture. The company has recently expanded into South Africa, completing its first cross-border monitoring engagement for a large-scale cabbage operation.
Gaea Foods (Kenya)
Gaea Foods Ltd. is a pioneering women-founded and -led business working within Kenya's potato industry. Founded in 2009 by Irene Mwangi, the company has grown substantially from its beginnings simply trading whole potatoes, to its current status as a leading potato processor with a vision for expansive growth.
By reducing post-harvest losses and minimising food waste, Gaea Foods is improving local food systems and food security. The company links potato farmers with predictable market demand, improving and stabilising smallholder incomes while strengthening the potato value chain. The IYBA WE4A loan will be deployed as working capital to support the purchase of potatoes from smallholder farmers, enabling the company to meet growing demand from urban fast-food restaurants and eateries.
Wedgehut (Kenya)
Post-harvest potato losses in Kenya are around 40%; a shockingly high number that was part of the inspiration behind woman-founded Wedgehut Foods Limited. The company sources potatoes to transform into a range of fresh-cut, vacuum-sealed products, including chips, wedges, lyonnaise, cubes, and whole potatoes. The products are distributed through a cold chain logistics network, reducing food waste, improving access to high-quality produce, and providing market access to over 3,000 smallholder farmers.
CEO and Founder Wanjiru Mambo established Wedgehut in 2021 in an entrepreneurial response to the outbreak of COVID-19. The company is now on an impactful growth journey within Kenya’s agricultural sector. Wedgehut intends to use the IYBA WE4A loan to strengthen its operational capacity, securing farmer contracts during potato seasons to meet rising demand.
Applications still open for financial and technical assistance
These impactful companies are three of 35 who will receive financial assistance through Goodwell’s partnership with IYBA WE4A in 2026. 100 applicants (including the 35 receiving financial assistance) will also be offered six months of technical training through our NYUMBA training platform, with a focus on investment readiness. Is your company women-owned and -led, and making an impact in the climate transformation space? We’re currently seeking applications from inspiring candidates! Apply now, or share with someone who you think is a good fit: LEARN MORE https://goodwell.nl/iyba-we4a/