Social Enterprises

The social enterprise businesses are designed to partly fund the charitable work of Philemon whilst employing, equipping and training ex-prisoner residents of the Philemon half-way home, so as to prepare them for productive lives in wider society.
 
Carpentry workshop and tailoring business
 
Philemon is at a critical stage in its emerging social enterprise businesses. The business is growing, there is work to be done, orders are being received and cash is being generated. A number of orders and business proposals are coming through and the wonderful news is that the workshop appears to be growing into a viable business. 
 
A woodwork machine at the workshop:
 
 
Initial Safaricom grant
 
The start-up finance for the social enterprise businesses was provided by the Safaricom Foundation. Safaricom purchased and delivered plains, lathe machines, welding machinery, sewing machines, a vehicle spray-painting machine and other.
 
Marketing and management
 
Philemon are attempting to improve the marketing and management of the carpentry and tailoring businesses. The aim is for these businesses to drive the growth of Philemon, so that more and more prisoners and former prisoners might be able to receive help and support.
 
Training and education
 
The residents at the Half-Way Home receive entrepreneurship and business training and opportunities to take part in other training and education initiatives, such as those convened by the Probation Department or with the support of local churches and missionary organisations.
 
It is very encouraging that ex-prisoners are now finding employment and learning skills at the workshop. Let us pray that new business skills would equip and enable ex-prisoners to find a new foothold in productive society.