Kenya Film Commission rolls out programme to boost women leadership and enterprise growth

The Kenyan-German initiative seeks to expand women’s participation across creative, technical and entrepreneurial roles in a sector that employs about 130,000 people, even though women account for just 30–40% of that workforce and remain significantly underrepresented in leadership.

The first cohort of 10 women was selected through a nationwide application call, bringing together participants from diverse counties and film disciplines.

Over a two-week residency, they were trained on building sustainable creative enterprises using Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) frameworks, which position film not only as an art form but as a business with real market value.

Sessions covered strategy, finance, legal and compliance, HR, digital marketing and mental wellness, with the latter integrated through the Women in Entrepreneurship Hub to address the emotional pressures often faced by women entrepreneurs in the creative sector.

At the programme’s graduation ceremony, five participants were selected to receive €5,000 (approx. Ksh.750,000) each after pitching their enterprise models to a panel of industry judges.

The funding is intended to help the filmmakers strengthen their business systems, expand production capacity or advance projects toward market readiness.

The recipients are SFX makeup artist Grace Murema of Grycelle Studio; Faith Njeri Heho, founder of The Makeup Tower; Louiza Wanjiku Ndung’u, curator and founder of the Nairobi Film Festival; Wanjira Maina, who leads the IConnectKenya Initiative supporting refugees and women in Turkana through digital storytelling; and Tracy Annette Sandere of Rebella Afrique Media, known for developing African Blues narratives for film and digital platforms.

They will also undergo training on grant administration to promote sustainable use of the funds.

The programme comes at a time when Kenya’s screen sector is gaining economic relevance. The film industry contributes an estimated KSh 20 billion (USD 130 million) to the GDP and supports more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs annually.

According to the latest Film Industry State of Affairs (FISA) report, the combined film and broadcasting sector accounted for 0.4% of GDP between 2016 and 2022 — a sign of growth, but also an indication of substantial room for expansion.

With the residency now complete, the cohort moves into a three-month mentorship and shadowing phase where they will work closely with experts in law, finance, HR, strategy and digital skills.

They will continue to refine their business models, strengthen enterprise systems and develop investor-ready proposals through bi-weekly coaching.

KFC CEO Timothy Owase said the initiative reflects the Commission’s commitment to narrowing gender gaps within the industry.

“This programme addresses persistent gender gaps in our industry. By combining practical training, mentorship and enterprise support, we are creating opportunities for women to build competitive and sustainable film businesses.”

He added that growing women-led enterprises is essential to unlocking Kenya’s cultural and economic potential in film.

“Kenya’s film sector holds immense untapped potential — not only for jobs and investment, but as a driver of national identity and global influence. By investing in women entrepreneurs, we are widening the creative space for Kenyan stories to thrive.”