Kenya: Irfan Keshavjee: Homes developer finds way to fulfil dreams of the poor

Growing up in a backdrop of a family business — White Rose dry-cleaners — Irfan Keshavjee honed his entrepreneural skills early.

But in 2000, he saw a success path in social entrepreneurship when he co-founded Honey Care Africa, a company that manufactures Langstroth beehives, nurtures farmers in beekeeping and guarantees to buy their honey at fair prices. Mr Keshavjee says to date, the firm has lifted over 10,000 smallholder bee keepers out of poverty as they now have a source of income.

Philanthropy is what gives meaning to his life, he says.

His latest social venture is Karibu Homes, which aims to give low-income earners affordable housing. As Kenya’s population grows and cities like Nairobi become crowded, the high demand for housing has pushed up the prices of houses beyond the reach of many Kenyans. Those bearing the brunt are low-income earners who have been pushed to slums.

via Homes developer finds way to fulfil dreams of poor – Home – businessdailyafrica.com.