Field Trip in Kenya
A perfect mix of work and pleasure
The course “Doing business in Africa: Kenya” at the University of Lucerne was a chance for students at the Faculty of Economics and Management to use their marketing knowledge and execute that in a practical setting.
The company that we were tasked to help with was a Kenyan water kiosk company named Glug that provides high-quality, safe drinking water to local consumers at a cheaper price than their competitors. They are able to do so because of the water filtration systems they employ from a Swiss company named Katadyn. However, the company has been dealing with low sales, and we were asked to help them understand why that is and how they can improve their sales and become profitable.
An Unforgettable Start: Visit to Wasini Island
But, we kick-started the trip with a visit to Wasini Island, an island with turquoise blue water and home to dolphins, coral reefs and various other aquatic animals. We took a boat to get to the island and caught glimpses of dolphins! We then jumped off our boat to do some snorkeling too. We ended our daytrip with a group lunch which consisted of local Kenyan seafood dishes.
Getting to Work: Analyzing the Glug Company
The next day, we began working on our consulting case and started it off with a visit to the Glug site. We got an introduction to the company from the founder himself, about their water filtration and desalination systems and processes. Afterwards, each group was given the chance to talk to the founders, Ian and Brandon, and ask them questions pertaining to their company and problems they were facing.
Thereafter, over the course of the week, we spent time working on the case in groups. Each group did their market research to get a better understanding of the company, its competitors and the market in which they were competing in by conducting surveys of local consumers. At the end of the trip, each group had to present their findings to the founders, our course leaders and fellow students, and give concrete, effective recommendations on how to better market their product and target local consumers
Visits to other Kenyan Start-ups
We also spent time visiting other Kenyan start-ups. We visited for instance Sote Hub, Kuza Freezer, Mr. Green and Give Power. It was an eye-opening experience to see the impact these start-ups had on the local communities. For example, Kuza Freezer provides solar-powered freezers for fishermen, helping them not only reduce greenhouse emissions but also greatly reducing fish waste and thereby, positively impacting the livelihood of local fishermen.
Conclusion: A Valuable Experience
All in all, this trip was an enriching and valuable experience. We were given the opportunity to apply our marketing knowledge in a real-world context and at the same time, let us explore a country with a vibrant, rich culture.
Thank you to my fellow students for a great time and unforgettable memories. Thank you to the University for this opportunity. And lastly, a big thank you to our course coordinator, Samuel, for organizing this trip and teaching us how not to get scammed by the local tuk-tuk drivers!
