Alive and Kicking

We raising money to contribute to the salary of a local marketing and sales expert to support the growth of Alive and Kicking  Kenya (AKK). This will provide vital experience and expertise to help drive sales and strengthen sustainability. Within one year AKK will be able to fund the salary themselves due to increased sales as well as maximise impact across our three mission areas; ethical employment, health education provision and enabling young people to exercise their right to play.

The Need

Since opening in 2004 AKK has produced over 500,000 balls, created over 500 ethical jobs, trained over 500 teachers to deliver health education and donated over 100,000 balls. Aside from seed funding to open 14 years ago, AKK has operated financially independently.

However, in 2017 AKK’s main retail partners closed unexpectedly, taking with it 70% of regular sales as well as an unpaid debt of over £50,000. This led to a number of challenges that have had to be managed and addressed to secure long term sustainability. Since then the AKK team have stabilised the operation and sales have begun to recover.

Due to the challenges in 2017 we have been unable to afford professional marketing and sales experience. As a result, there are key pieces of the market that we have not been able to access such as the corporate and non for profit sectors as well as markets in surrounding regions and countries. This restricts the impact we are able to make in the communities we support, communities where:

• Over 36% of people are living below the poverty line;

• Over 70% of jobs are classed as vulnerable;

• 58% of working people earn below the minimum wage.

The Approach

To take full advantage of both the East African and international markets, ensure long term sustainability and grow the organisation we would like to recruit a marketing and sales professional.

This will enable AKK to:

1. Access new markets and develop new route to markets.

2. Grow awareness of the AK brand and the story behind the ball;

3. Develop long term strategic shared valued partnerships with corporate clients,

4. Expand AKK sales footprint across East Africa

5. Lead product activations and other market awareness activities.

6. Support the growth of our AK centres in Ghana and Zambia through the sharing of best practice.

Within 12 months the sales and marketing professional will have helped to increase ball sales by a minimum of 1,000 balls a month. This will mean their role will become self-sustainable as their salary will be covered by the increase in sales. This will also lead to increased employment opportunities for the local community.

The Impact

The success of this project will be measured using the following indicators:

1. Increased engagement in AKK social media platforms and online shop – 100% increase in followers and users by end of year one;

2. Increased sales across the corporate, NGO and professional sport sectors – 800 additional ball sales per month by end of year one;

3. Increased sales in East Africa – 200 additional ball sales per month by end of year one;

4. Best practice sharing with AK Ghana and AK Zambia – One best practice report by end of year one.

Impact Summary

1. Created over 1,050 jobs

2. Our employees support an average of five dependants (75% of our employees use their income to pay their children through school)

3. We are the only formal ball manufacturer in Africa

4. Made over 900,000 sports balls

5. Donated over 180,000 sports ball reaching an estimated 7,650,000 young people

6. An A+K ball lasts up to eight times longer than a standard synthetic ball

7. Trained over 1,000 sports coaches and teachers

8. Reached over 82,000 young people through our health programmes