The Heart of Service: Why Hospitality Lies at the Core of Kianda Foundation’s Mission.

A Kibondeni Student serving at an event

When Kianda Foundation was founded, it was with one dream in mind: to uplift women and girls by giving them the tools to build dignified, independent lives. Over the decades, that mission has taken many forms—but one constant has remained: our unwavering commitment to hospitality training. For us, hospitality is more than just an industry. It is a life skill, a career path, a doorway to global opportunity, and above all, a foundation for transformation.

Why Hospitality?

Hospitality is one of the world’s most dynamic and resilient industries. It thrives on human connection, attention to detail, and the ability to make others feel welcome—qualities that many women and girls already embody in their daily lives. At Kianda Foundation, we saw an opportunity to harness these natural strengths and translate them into professional success.

But it goes beyond personal strengths. The hospitality sector is a powerful engine of employment and upward mobility, particularly in Kenya’s growing economy. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the accommodation and food service sector accounted for over 8.6% of total wage employment in 2023. It’s a sector that does not demand a university degree to enter but rewards competence, attitude, and excellence—making it ideal for young women from underserved communities.

A Strategic Choice for Local Impact

Students at Kimlea in a food production class.

Our three hospitality colleges—Kimlea Technical Training College in Kiambu, Kibondeni College in Nairobi, and Tewa Training Centre in Kilifi—are rooted in communities where unemployment among young women remains a pressing challenge.

• Kiambu County has a youth unemployment rate of nearly 18%, with a growing number of school leavers unable to transition into higher education or work. Yet it’s also home to hotels, lodges, and growing agro-tourism ventures—offering untapped potential for skilled hospitality workers.

  
  

• In Nairobi, over 300,000 youth join the job market annually, most without formal training. Nairobi’s thriving hotel, restaurant, and events scene means that well-trained women can secure stable employment or even start their own catering ventures, which many of our graduates proudly do.

  
  

• On the coastal belt of Kilifi, tourism is the backbone of the economy. However, the county has one of the highest female unemployment rates in the country, with poverty disproportionately affecting women and girls. Tewa Training Centre equips young women with world-class skills to work in hotels and resorts along the Kenyan coast—and even abroad.

  
  

Skills that Open Doors

Hospitality training teaches more than how to serve a table or prepare a five-star dish. It teaches confidence, professionalism, communication, time management, and problem-solving—skills that are transferable to many industries and to life itself.

Students at Kimlea in a mixology class

Many of our graduates go on to work in leading hotels, airlines, embassies, and private homes. Some launch their own small businesses, breaking cycles of poverty in their families and communities. Others use their training as a stepping stone to further education.

At Kianda Foundation, we don’t just train women to find jobs—we train them to discover their dignity, worth, and the power they hold to shape their future.

From Kitchens to Boardrooms

We believe that hospitality is a ladder: it starts with a plate, a room, a guest—but it leads to leadership, entrepreneurship, and lasting change. In training women and girls in hospitality, we are building a future that is more inclusive, more resilient, and more hopeful.

We’ve seen firsthand how a short course can change a life—and how one empowered woman can change a whole community.