Kenyan women feted in African entreprenuership awards gala

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Kenyan women feted in African entreprenuership awards gala

Staff Writer - November 8, 2019

Feature

The bone crusher of Dagoretti

Staff Writer - November 1, 2019

Feature

Online Content; the unexploited gold mine

Staff Writer - November 1, 2019

Lifestyle

Unleashing power of data analytics

Staff Writer - November 1, 2019

Feature

From hawking porridge to building a milling enterprise

Staff Writer - October 31, 2019

Farming

TV program led me to farming -Strawberry farmer

Staff Writer - October 31, 2019

Farming

From Seed to Shelf

Staff Writer - October 31, 2019

Feature

Half-baked graduates? Generation Kenya has a solution

Staff Writer - October 30, 2019

Main Story

Business lessons from Muli Musyoka IAT, a certified trichologist

Staff Writer - October 30, 2019

Main Story

Muli Musyoka IAT: Trichologist with cure for baldness

Staff Writer - October 30, 2019

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The inspiring career journey of two Muslim women who founded a thriving law practice By George Marenya By Amos Wachira In the bustling city of Nairobi, a small office hums with purpose. Here, Ludfia Maalim and Kheira Farah, co-founders of Farah & Maalim Advocates, pore over case files, their hijabs contrasting with sharp blazers. Their mission? To empower people through fast, efficient and cost effective legal services—one client at a time. Farah and Maalim Advocates is a tale of two young women brought together by a giant dream. In the beginning though, their circumstances and interests would not be more different. Soon after completing her O Levels, Kheira Farah was totally in love with business, she kept her ear to the ground about financial trends and what was moving the markets at any one time. Because of her love for the business world, she really wanted to plunge herself into the world of entrepreneurship right after her secondary school education. Her greatest mentor who is also her uncle had other ideas though. To him she was a perfect fit for law school, no amount of protesting would dissuade him. And so she was set for university, on one condition that if she fails the exams, she will not continue with her studies and would opt for business. When she joined Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and technology’s law school, she had made peace with her uncle’s choice of law. “I reasoned that a law firm was like a business, so I was good to go. I immediately loved the course as I was excelling in exams.” She says. After joining the law school, she met and became fast friends with Ludfia Maalim, who was also pursuing a law degree at the institution. After graduating with a bachelor of laws degree in 2020, kheira wanted to join the NGO world, instead of proceeding to the Kenya School of Law. Again her uncle would hear none of it. "But only ten percent of Kenya Law School graduates make it," she lamented. "Well," replied her uncle, "You will be among the ten percent. Who says you cannot be?" he told her. And that way, kheira was destined for the Kenya Law School, where her mettle and ambition to be a lawyer would be thoroughly tested. The duo’s “lightbulb moment” came during their oral exams at the Kenya School of Law. Kheira says, “Recognizing how tough the oral exams were, I told ludfia that if we make it to the end, we should vow to found our own law firm, Farah and Maalim Advocates. For Ludfia, the road to Law School and a Law Office was made of more rough pebbles. Having excelled in their academics, she wanted to pursue any course that revolved around gender and women empowerment. After completing her O levels in 2015, Ludfia went back to her native Matarajio Primary School, her former school to greet her former teachers. That’s when they told her they had a vacancy for teachers and she bought into the idea, rolling her sleeves and taking up chalk and books to teach grade four, five and six pupils. Her favorite pupils were in class four. With her love for the pupils still burning inside, she approached one of her mentors and told her how she wanted to follow her passion-teaching. The mentor gave her a reality check telling her that in this country "Passion does not pay," concluding, "Do not do anything merely for passion." So when the admission letter to join university came along, Ludfia was off to Murang’a University for a course in Maths and Economics. Not contented with the course, she did not last long as she immediately embarked on researching and applying to various Law schools to pursue law, her newfound course. Ludfia’s father, a retired Chief wanted her to be a banker. The thought of walking into a bank and finding his daughter minding peoples’ money was the old man’s dream job for Ludfia. It took quite some time for him to come around. While her parents thought she was busy studying at Murang’a University, Ludfia was moving around law schools in Nairobi looking for a vacancy. Her first stop was in Karen, at the JKUAT Law school. She paid for the admission fee and left. She then approached her brother for more cash to fund her endeavor. The following day, she approached her dad, who was shell-shocked. he told her to give him time to think about it as it was a family matter. When she finally got admitted at the Karen campus, she vowed to do her best, at least to appease her father. At the university, she met Kheira and they became best of friends. Four years later, they graduated and were admitted in the bar in March of 2023, one of their defining moments. Employment beckoned and as fate goes, the two women went their separate ways, each getting gainfully employed in plum law firms. Even as they worked in different parts of Nairobi, they kept in touch and kept their dream of opening their own law firm alive. After each of them had gathered enough work experience they met again in December 2023 and decided to get serious about opening a Law firm. That is how Farah and Maalim Advocates, situated in a bespoke and stylish office at the 4th floor of St. Ellis House came to be. But launching a private practice was never going to be a walk in the park. While Kheira really wanted to be her own boss, Ludfia was comfortable in her job which provided her with enough perks. “I had gotten comfortable at the law firm. The money was good, and I was looking forward to a pay-slip every month.” “Kheira told me that I should desist from getting comfortable as I could be replaced at any given moment. I thought it was just another quote. Then it hit me.” Not one to break their vow at the KSL, she accepted that the time had come for them to start and grow their own firm. But when rubber met the tarmac, they realized first hand that they did not have enough resources to establish the kind of law practice they desired. There were no funds for that. Unbowed, they put together any savings that they had and asked a friend to help them get an office space in the CBD. “We had a name but no cash. Nonetheless, we vowed to do it,” says Kheira. Once they had secured an office space, the next step was to partition it. They were halfway through the partitioning process when the cash they had ran out. Not one to be discouraged by setbacks, Ludfia approached her mom for a small loan. She was given Kshs 300 000 to complete the partitions. As for Kheira, she couldn’t get any loans from family members as they all knew she was working as a lawyer at a big law firm. They started with the bare minimum. In 2024, they opened their doors to clients, provide a wide range of legal services. These include, property and real estate, commercial and corporate law, banking, finance and tax laws, dispute resolution and debt recovery, family law and succession. Others are labor relations law, intellectual property law and insurance law. A Meeting of Minds Both daughters of Kenyan-Somali families, they witnessed firsthand how women and youth in their community grappled with legal voids. Navigating Kenya’s plural legal system, which intertwines civil, customary, and Islamic (Kadhi) courts, is no small feat. Early on, skepticism met their youth and gender. “Some clients asked, ‘Where’s the real lawyer?’” Kheira laughs. Undeterred, they leveraged their deep cultural understanding to bridge gaps. Challenges and Triumphs Funding remains a hurdle. Bootstrapping their firm, they are keen on organic growth, adding one client at a time. For any new lawyer, getting clients is a big challenge. For a start, there are many lawyers so competing with established firms for clients is a tough undertaking. Gender challenges The duo admits that sometimes gender plays a significant role in the career. A good example is when dealing with patriarchal communities who believe that men should be the ones to lead. When looking for lawyers, some get disappointed to find two Muslim women handling their case, while their expectations were that men could be the ones to do their bidding. Like any other business, challenges abound, but the duo deals with them accordingly. Yet their impact is undeniable: banks, financial institutions, NGOs, construction companies, private hospitals and property management companies form part of their clientele. The Road Ahead Looking forward, Ludfia and Kheira dream of expanding their team to reach more Kenyans. As dusk settles over Nairobi, the two pore over their diaries before calling it a day. Their journey, Kheira reflects, is about more than legal victories: “It’s about showing the world that young Muslim women can lead—and lift others as we rise.”

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Canon Europe (www.Canon-Europe.com), in partnership with Visa pour l’Image, announces two grants to support long-term documentary projects both in the photography and filmmaking space. Championing the very best in storytelling, the 26th Canon Female Photojournalist Grant celebrates an outstanding photographer in recognition of her contribution to photojournalism, whilst the 7th Canon Video Grant acknowledges those wanting to magnify a social, cultural or economic issue in documentary form. The grants are open to individuals worldwide. Canon Female Photojournalist Grant For the 26th year in a row, Canon and Visa pour l’Image will award an €8,000 grant to a female photojournalist pursuing a long-term documentary project. The grant is designed to either support the completion of an existing project or facilitate the making of a new one. Entries will be judged by a jury of renowned industry experts. In 2025, French photojournalist Marion Péhée was awarded for her long-term project documenting young adults in Ukraine. Former grantees (https://apo-opa.co/41JgwcU) include Anastasia Taylor-Lind, Natalya Saprunova and Acacia Johnson. Canon Video Grant Alongside this, Canon together with Visa pour l’Image are seeking documentary filmmakers for the 7th Canon Video Grant. In 2025, Shiho Fukada, photojournalist and filmmaker, was awarded for her project ‘Echoes of Little Tokyo’, focusing on a fifth-generation funeral home serving Los Angeles' Japanese-American community. The grant winner will receive €8,000, along with a loan of video kit including a Canon video camera and two lenses to make a short documentary of approximately eight minutes in length. Both grants form part of a long-standing partnership between Visa pour l’Image and Canon, celebrating its 37th anniversary this year. The winning projects of 2025 (Marion Péhée and Shiho Fukada's projects) will be presented at this year’s Visa pour l’Image festival in Perpignan, France. How to apply Canon Female Photojournalist Grant: Application window: 18 March – 19 May 2026 Granted to professional photojournalists actively working in the field Worldwide submissions accepted Entry is free Apply here: https://apo-opa.co/4tfKRf4 Canon Video Grant: Application window: 25 March – 27 May 2026 Granted to professional documentary filmmakers actively working in the field Worldwide submissions accepted Entry is free Apply here: https://VisaPourlImage.com

Canon’s Female Photojournalist Grant and Video Grant Now Accepting Applications

April 18, 2026

Sending money to Canada has been harder than it should be. Wire queues, unpredictable fees, days of uncertainty, whether you’re supporting family in Ontario, paying a Canadian contractor, or settling a business invoice. Starting today, Grey (https://Grey.co) users can send Canadian Dollars directly to any Canadian bank account, arriving in minutes via Interac for $3.00, or the next business day via bank transfer for $2.50. No percentage fee. No wire delays. Canada is home to one of the world’s most diverse diaspora populations, with communities from Nigeria, India, the Philippines, and other emerging markets deeply connected to their homes. The corridor has been dominated by legacy services that charge $15-30 on a typical $500 transfer and settle in days. Grey's flat fee and Interac delivery address both problems at once. The Interac integration matters more than the price. Interac is the payment rail built into the daily financial life of virtually every Canadian bank account holder, the same network used for everyday domestic payments. When Grey settles through Interac, the transfer doesn’t enter a wire queue. It moves the way domestic payments do: fast, confirmed, and predictable. Recipients don’t need a new app or account. The money arrives at the bank, where they already have an account. "Canada kept coming up. From Lagos to Mumbai to Manila, our users had someone in Canada they needed to pay, but no good way to do so. Expensive wires, slow settlement, no certainty. We fixed that,” said Idorenyin Obong, CEO and co-founder of Grey. The service supports all Canadian banks for both personal and business accounts and joins Grey's local-currency transfer network across 170+ destinations. Users can send from USD, EUR, GBP, or NGN balances, with individual transaction limits of $10,000 CAD and business limits of up to $100,000 CAD via bank transfer. Grey holds a Money Service Business license from FINTRAC in Canada and FinCEN in the USA.

Grey Connects the Africa-Canada Money Corridor With Instant Transfers via Interac

April 17, 2026

Liquid C2, a business of Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader, has launched Africa’s first Partner Experience Centre powered by Google Cloud in Johannesburg, South Africa. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to empower partners and resellers to move beyond traditional distribution, providing the immersive, hands-on environment needed to architect and deploy cloud and AI solutions tailored specifically to African market needs. Through the Centre, partners will be onboarded to a structured journey that guides them in securing official Google Cloud accreditation and certification. Beyond technical training provided by both Liquid C2 and Google, the centre will also serve as a collaborative hub, allowing them to work alongside specialist engineers to architect bespoke solutions. Once finalised, these solutions will be brought to market through Liquid’s robust distribution network. This expansion not only opens new commercial avenues for partners but also acts as a catalyst for high-value job creation and the rapid maturation of Africa’s technology ecosystem. The Partner Experience Centre provides the partner and reseller ecosystem in Africa with direct access to enterprise-grade technologies such as Gemini Enterprise, and the "Gemini Playspace" for rapid AI experimentation. It also provides specialist expertise to prototype, test, and scale digital solutions in real-world environments. The centre is a testament to Liquid C2’s commitment to strengthening its role within the partner ecosystem in Africa, as it supports partners in overcoming infrastructure constraints, skills gaps, and complexity barriers that often slow digital transformation efforts across the continent. As demand for advanced digital capabilities grows, the Partner Experience Centre serves as an innovation hub where enterprises, startups, academic institutions, developers, and public-sector stakeholders can co-create locally-relevant solutions, fostering a sense of shared progress and community across Africa. The facility also provides industry-specific platforms tailored to sectors including financial services, healthcare, and retail. These platforms demonstrate how AI-enabled solutions can reduce operational risk, improve efficiency, enhance customer engagement, and unlock new growth opportunities across African markets. “At Cassava Technologies, we believe the future of Africa’s digital transformation will be shaped through strong ecosystems that combine global innovation with local infrastructure and expertise,” said Ziaad Suleman, Senior Vice President, Cassava Technologies and CEO, South Africa & Botswana. “The Partner Experience Centre powered by Google Cloud creates a practical environment where organisations can explore, test, and scale solutions that deliver real business value. By combining our infrastructure, expertise, and continental reach with Google Cloud’s advanced technologies, we are helping to democratise access to AI and cloud capabilities for enterprises across Africa.” “This is a pivotal moment in our commitment to Africa’s digital future,” said Tara Brady, President, Google Cloud EMEA. “The Partner Experience Centre is a testament to our belief in the power of a strong partner ecosystem. By combining our advanced AI capabilities, including our Gemini models, with Liquid C2’s localised expertise, we are not just building a facility; we are building a hub for innovation that will empower businesses, create jobs, and deliver the benefits of digital transformation to every corner of the continent.” The collaboration will focus on three core pillars of transformation: Accelerated Partner Enablement: The centre acts as a dedicated Proof-of-Concept (PoC) hub designed to dismantle historical market barriers. It provides localised training, hands-on technology interaction, and business support, leveraging Liquid’s capabilities to offer local currency billing and credit to manage financial complexity for resellers. AI and Technology Innovation: A primary focus is empowering partners to build and deploy advanced AI solutions. The facility features a dedicated "Gemini Playspace & AI Solutions" to certify technical staff, alongside integrated "Solutions Pods" where partners can demonstrate complete technology stacks to win complex enterprise bids. Economic Growth and Job Creation: The partnership is a direct investment in Africa’s tech workforce. By strategically broadening the partner network, the initiative will foster deep, localised expertise and act as a catalyst for new economic opportunities, creating a significant ripple effect of job creation for certified engineers and other tech professionals across the continent. As a business of Cassava Technologies, Liquid C2 has always been at the forefront of bringing cutting-edge digital technologies to African businesses, both directly and through its partner ecosystem. This first-of-its-kind Partner Experience Centre is yet another milestone that reflects the company’s commitment to partnerships that leverage its continental footprint to serve a broader base of organisations. Aligned with this, Cassava continues to expand digital inclusion across Africa through its integrated portfolio of connectivity, cloud, cyber security, and digital solutions, ensuring that a broad spectrum of organisations, regardless of size or sector, can access and benefit from advanced technologies, thereby enabling more inclusive participation in Africa’s digital economy.

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Staff Writer

Kenyan women feted in African entreprenuership awards gala

The bone crusher of Dagoretti

Online Content; the unexploited gold mine

Unleashing power of data analytics

From hawking porridge to building a milling enterprise

TV program led me to farming -Strawberry farmer

From Seed to Shelf

Half-baked graduates? Generation Kenya has a solution

Business lessons from Muli Musyoka IAT, a certified trichologist

Muli Musyoka IAT: Trichologist with cure for baldness

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Canon’s Female Photojournalist Grant and Video Grant Now Accepting Applications

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Liquid C2 launches Africa’s first Google Cloud-powered Experience Centre to accelerate...

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Third Africa Islamic Finance Forum Confirmed for Nigeria March 2018

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