[Sage Entrepreneurs Academy](https://sageacademies.org/)

1. History and Background

Founded in 2012 in Kampala, Uganda, SAGE ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY aims to transform entrepreneurship in East Africa and beyond. Established by Mr. Sage Rutakaza, an experienced entrepreneur, the academy addresses the gap between youth and the necessary skills, mentorship, and resources for business success.

Starting with 15 participants, it has expanded to serve over 30,500 entrepreneurs in sectors like agriculture, technology, and manufacturing. The academy promotes a knowledge-driven economy, recognizing SMEs as vital to Africa’s economy, contributing 40% to GDP and employing 80% of the workforce. Strategic partnerships with government and international organizations enhance our efforts.

2. Mission

We empower aspiring and current entrepreneurs by providing practical skills, mentorship, resources, and a supportive ecosystem to build sustainable businesses contributing to economic and social development.

3. Vision

To become Africa's leading entrepreneurship institution, recognized for producing transformative business leaders who drive innovation and create jobs.

4. Core Values

•	Excellence: High-quality training and support.

•	Innovation: Creative solutions to business challenges.

•	Integrity: Ethical and transparent operations.

•	Inclusivity: Equal opportunities for all.

•	Collaboration: Strong partnerships for mutual growth.

•	Sustainability: Responsible business practices.

•	Impact-driven: Success measured by tangible results.

Sage Entrepreneurs Academy Diaspora Fund

Turning banana waste into sustainable products that reduce reliance on plastics and create livelihoods for women and youth.

**Tendo Social Development Group**

**What if agricultural residue could replace synthetic materials, create livelihoods and give young people more choices about their future?**

That question captures what Tendo Social Development Group is working to achieve in Kenya.

Tendo is a Kenyan nonprofit creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for women and young people, particularly in communities where unemployment and limited economic opportunities can make migration feel like the only path to a better life.

Our belief is simple: **“The grass can be green here.”**

We do not seek to discourage migration. We want women and young people to have genuine economic choices—whether they choose to build a livelihood in their community, move elsewhere in Kenya, or migrate internationally.

**From banana residue to beautiful hair**

One of Tendo's most exciting innovations began with something normally left behind after a banana harvest: the **banana pseudostem**.

We are developing fibre extracted from these pseudostems into natural hair extensions. This creates the potential for a new circular value chain:

**BANANA FARMERS → FIBRE → WOMEN & YOUTH → NATURAL HAIR EXTENSIONS → BRAIDERS & SALONS → CONSUMERS**

Following six months of research and development, Tendo has produced a functional, wearable banana-fibre hair extension. Prototypes have been worn and tested by women and have also been worked with and evaluated by professional braiders.

The next challenge is to move from a successful prototype to a consistent, market-ready product.

The environmental opportunity is compelling. Conventional hair extensions rely heavily on synthetic materials. We want to establish how far renewable banana fibre can substitute for these materials while creating productive value from agricultural residue left after the fruit has been harvested.

We are deliberately taking an **evidence-based approach**. Rather than simply describing the product as “green,” “plastic-free” or “biodegradable,” we want to measure and validate its environmental performance—including synthetic-material substitution, banana-residue utilisation, water and energy use, waste recovery, durability and end-of-life options.

**One innovation. Multiple opportunities.**

For **banana farmers**, fibre could create an additional source of value from the banana plant after the fruit has been harvested.

For **women**, opportunities can extend across fibre preparation, treatment and finishing, production, quality control, packaging, distribution, braiding, salon services and enterprise.

For **young people**, the emerging value chain can create opportunities in processing, production, technology, logistics, digital marketing, sales and entrepreneurship.

For the **environment**, the innovation gives us an opportunity to demonstrate whether an agricultural residue can become a commercially useful renewable material that reduces reliance on conventional synthetic fibre.

And for **communities**, viable green enterprises can expand the economic choices available to people who might otherwise migrate primarily because they see few livelihood opportunities closer to home.

**Creating livelihoods. Expanding choices.**

Tendo's work goes beyond banana fibre.

From our programmes in **Kendu Bay in Homa Bay County and Mukuru in Nairobi**, we work with women and young people to develop practical pathways to income through enterprise development, agripreneurship, climate-smart agriculture, production and sales.

We are also working with partners to help young women make safer and better-informed decisions about migration—understanding their rights, assessing risks, comparing the true financial implications of different opportunities and considering viable livelihood pathways closer to home.

Across these activities, our purpose remains the same:

**Create livelihoods. Expand choices. Strengthen communities.**

**What your donation can make possible**

Your support can help us take our banana-fibre innovation from successful R&D to market readiness.

Donations can contribute to product refinement and quality testing; improved fibre processing and pilot production; building a reliable supply chain with banana farmers and cooperatives; expanded testing with consumers, braiders and salons; environmental measurement and validation; more efficient use of water and energy; and preparing women and young people to participate in the emerging value chain.

We believe environmental innovation becomes even more powerful when it also creates economic opportunity.

**A banana plant can create value beyond its fruit. Agricultural residue can become a resource. Women and young people can participate in a new green value chain. And migration can become a choice rather than a necessity.**

**Help us turn agricultural residue into opportunity—for people and for the planet.**

Friends of Tendo Social Development Diaspora Fund

1279515062

148788709

1524399316

control

167058366

1873740264

188270313

2052641908

2088874155

We are a nonprofit, so instead of charging fees we rely on the generosity of donors like you.

Choose a donation for Every.org

2140519340

2183212369

2269066361

2310049938

2477281247

2551237796

2774030336

2880853031

2883383521

2899462032

316638097

3323783059

3381177838

338811242

3545345297

3705164611

3842241318

3934974605

4167807122

506613571

1287028958

1858760411

2104603717

225261647

2407957277

2729980760

2939442496

3440869557

4143568784

434649596

671754822

87081813

99361

1014384873

1112422858

153399038

2028390811

220342792

2266630408

2519810400

2539558839

2826465835

2843798242

2898624300

3259439560

339774024

3642494300

3902459442

4250940449

472232120

585491400

641510716

91682487

Friends of Tendo Social Development Diaspora Fund

Sage Entrepreneurs Academy Diaspora Fund

Friends of Tendo Social Development Diaspora Fund

Donors

Become a supporter!

Become a supporter!

Friends of Tendo Social Development Diaspora Fund