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SDG 1 | Indicator 1.4.2

Financial Assistance for Community Start-Ups and Sustainable Enterprises

Zamzam University of Science and Technology (ZUST) recognises that eradicating poverty requires direct community empowerment through entrepreneurship and access to finance.

1. Partnership with KAAFI Development

In 2025, ZUST and KAAFI Development Organization signed a two-year collaboration agreement to implement an integrated Community TVET and Micro-Finance Programme. The partnership focuses on enhancing home-economics livelihoods and supporting new household-level businesses across selected Somali districts.

Key features of the programme

  • Community Selection
  • Training & Capacity Development
  • Seed-Funding Support
  • Mentorship & Follow-up

Academic & Community Empowerment

2. BINA Business Incubator Seed-Grant Scheme

Parallel to the KAAFI programme, ZUST’s BINA Business Incubator provides additional micro-grants and advisory services for innovative start-ups in agribusiness, renewable energy, and ICT.

  • Between 2024 and 2026: 60 entrepreneurs received seed grants and mentorship.
  • Valued at approximately USD 45,000 in micro-grants and intensive advisory services.
  • Focused heavily on sustainable agriculture, digital services, and women-led industries.

3. Measured Impact (2024 – 2026)

Programme

Communities Covered

Beneficiaries

Financial Value (USD)

Partner(s)

KAAFI Development – Community TVET and Micro-Finance Programme

6 districts

120 families

90,000 (approx.)

KAAFI Development + BINA (ZUST)

BINA Seed-Grant Programme

5 districts

180 individuals

45,000

ZUST

Community Enterprise Fund

3 districts

150 youth & women

35,000

Bulsho SACCO

4. Outcomes

80+ Enterprises

Establishment of more than 80 home-based and micro-enterprises in tailoring, food processing, small trade, and agribusiness.

70% Women

70% of beneficiaries are women, contributing directly to household income and community resilience.

Academic Expertise

Integration of ZUST’s academic expertise in business management with community development practice.

5. Alignment with the SDGs

The ZUST–KAAFI partnership exemplifies how universities can connect education (SDG 4), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and poverty reduction (SDG 1) through practical, community-level interventions. By pairing vocational training with financial inclusion, ZUST is creating lasting pathways for self-reliance among Somalia’s most vulnerable populations.

Conclusion

Through the Community TVET and Micro-Finance Programme with KAAFI Development, and ongoing seed-grant schemes under BINA, Zamzam University of Science and Technology provides real financial assistance to community entrepreneurs. This hands-on approach empowers low-income families to establish sustainable home-based businesses, strengthens local economies, and demonstrates higher education’s vital role in ending poverty in all its forms.