Event Planning Business - University of Nairobi

Campus Freethought group Kenya is a not-for-profit organization of students from different institutions of higher learning. We are operating in 5 different major universities in Kenya. We strive to promote and defend reason, science, and freedom of inquiry in education. We are committed to the enhancement of freethought, rationalism, and humanist values at Institutions of higher learning in Kenya. Our membership is currently about 135 students from different universities. The group is hosted at the University of Nairobi.

The Meaning of Humanism to the Group

The group understands humanism as a worldview, philosophy, and a life stance that stresses much on reason, science, and human values over other worldview like religious dogmas or the belief of supernatural entities. We also understand that promotion of individual freedom, human dignity, and social justice is very critical, and at the same time rejecting religious authorities as a basis for morality of decision making.  

Our Current Activities

Towards that understanding of humanism our current activities include promoting humanism and secular ideas at different universities across Kenya. We recognize that there have never been rigorous engagements with students on the topic of humanism, rationalism, freethought, critical thinking and science in our country. As such, we hold frequents workshops, debates, and both physical and online speaker engagements.

Rehabilitating Street Children in Nairobi

Nairobi being the capital of Kenya, the economic hardship has made some families lack basic amenities like housing and food. Some children due to the hardship abandoned school and started roaming the streets. One of the problems is that these children start using drugs at a tender age and they end up exploited and some end up in street gangs or as robbers.

As university students we came together and started contributions as little as Kenya shillings 50. Because of our number, we contributed a good amount and we decided to collaborate with Street children rehabilitation centers where we rescued some children and took them to the rehabilitation centers. We paid for their upkeep. We believe this is how we can give back to the society.


Membership

We are more than 130 students from different Universities in Kenya and our operating office is at the University of Nairobi. In this membership, we have included few members to avoid the length of the document.

Leadership

Gloria Sisina – Chairlady + 254741560612

Hodoviah Kipto – Organizing Secretary     + 254701882099

Isaac Akuja – Treasurer + 254748594466

Members

Tyra Cherotic

Stacy Maina

Andrew Nyangeri

Nuzla Abdulhalim

Kelvin Lokorukoru

Alfonce Kikwete

Zedek Musila

Henry Ochieng

Viola Kaikai

Dennis Ndichu

Simon Gakuru

Kevin Kaimenyi

Milton Ochieng

Emilio Otero

Onesmus Kipngetich

Charles Odhiambo

Isaac Nguria

Ann Wambani

Elizabeth Noah

Ikran Noor

Ryan Gaturu

Sophie Kadzo

Humphrey Nandoya

Ishmael Ochieng

Dahabo Dagane

Ilhan Osman

Cheryl Dada

Dennis Kiswii

Hope Kuria

Abdikheir Aydrus

Emanuel Ochieng

Rotic Alfred

Sharon Kamene

Blessings Mugambi

Ruth Mutisya

Campus Event Planning and Management Business Description

The business of hiring events equipment and organizing events is one of the thriving businesses at the various campuses we have members. There are many student clubs at the universities that organize frequent events. The events range from workshops, meetings, presentations, and debates. One of the challenges these clubs face is that they do not have events equipment like projectors to forecast their presentations to larger audience and also, they do not have sound equipment for these kinds of events. Many clubs always look for these equipment outside the university and they get them at a higher rate. We believe that if we have these equipment, we can take over this business advantage. They will not need to go outside the university to look for these equipment.

Currently, with the rise of social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok, live streaming and making of video content has risen at the universities we operate. Many clubs want to stream live happenings and also students within the campus want to operate channels to make money in these social platforms. One of the limitations they have is that they do not have powerful cameras and they do not poses editing skills that can give professional video contents. We believe that if we can get good camera and quality microphones, we can capture this market within the campuses that we operate.

This is a thriving business with high expected returns. We will also start a learning center once we have these equipment where we will train students how to capture and edit videos. These are currently the sought skills within the university since many students with podcasts and YouTube channels are making money. We need to invest in this market.

The proposal seeks to leverage about US $ 1, 600 investments to establish this business. The business will empower the students to carry out their activities and also provide employment opportunities for members of the group who are orphans and face fee problems.

These are some of the equipment we seek to invest in to make this business thrive within the campuses that we operate.

Budget

Projector US $350

Sound System US $300 includes Speakers + 4 Channel Powered Mixer Mixer + Microphone & Microphone Stand

Generic Full Public Address System 15 Inches PA Speakers + 4 Channel Powered Mixer Mixer + Microphone & Microphone Stand @ Best Price Online | Jumia Kenya

Smartphone (used) $150

Total $800

Explanation of the Budget

The Projector: The projector is one of the major equipment in this business. The university does not provide lecturers with projectors. Most of the university projectors are broken and are not functioning. It means the lecturers have to buy their own or hire projectors. Most of the lecturers hire available projectors. Also, many university students’ clubs have no projectors and they are forced to hire for their presentations.

The Sound System Speaker: Addressing a group that is more than 80 without a speaker in the many university halls is not possible. The university auditoriums and halls lack sound system. It means that many events organized at these places need sound equipment for presentations. Many groups and individual have to hire sound systems.  

Video Camera: Video camera is a very powerful equipment in this business. Currently, with the coming of social media applications and websites like YouTube and TikTok, many individuals and group want to produce up to standard videos to attract online audience and command large subscription to their channels. It is the thriving business at the campuses that we have members. Our members have video editing skills using powerful software like Adobe Premier Pro and Adobe After effects. The camera in combination with these skills will enable us to secure high contracts both within the university and outside the university.  

Boya Wireless Microphones: Videos need quality sounds. Boya wireless microphones are the ideal brand in the market since they can capture sound even from a long distance when they are mounted to the video camera. Many people analyze sound when they want to hire a team to work on their videos.

Mixer Amplifier: Mixer amplifier is needed to connect both the projections and also it is critical during live streaming. It ensures that the output audio to various events is captured well and also can be audible enough to be used in an event.

Tripod Stand for Camera: Video camera will need a strong tripod stand to ensure that video shakes are reduced for quality capturing of events.

Expected Income

In this business, we will be hiring equipment. The hiring of equipment is listed below and their prices:

Hiring of Camera alone per day US $ 80

Hiring of the Projector per day US $ 50

Hiring of the sound system alone Per day US $ 80

Hiring of Boya Wireless phone per day US $ 50

Video Streaming per day US $ 100

Video editing and production per 1 hour video US $ 250

Podcast Production US $ 200

Hiring all the equipment for event per day US $ 350

Total US $ 1,160

In the above income projection, we have just given a situation where we just had all the above equipment and package hired once in a month. As you can see, it is a thriving business. We have put projections above from the standard market rates of the price of hiring such equipment packages. It means that if we have more hirings just in one month, we are able to even go beyond US $ 4000 in one month. It means that we will have recovered the money invested in the business within a short period of time.

Benefits to the On campus Students

First, the profit got from the business will be able to support group members who are struggling to pay their school fees. Many students in Kenya face difficulties with fee payment and many drop out before even completing their degree programs, and they end up not graduating.

Secondly, students will learn entrepreneurship skills since they will be running the business. Entrepreneurship skill is currently important and learning it practically is beneficial for the students.  

The profit got will also be used to sponsor the events that the group organize frequently. The group is currently spreading the ideals of humanism within the campus. The organization do this through online and physical speaker engagements. Also, the group organizes debates between people of different philosophies. We believe these engagements exposes students to the ideals of humanism.

Benefits to our Community Engagements

Currently, the organization is involved in community giving through rehabilitation of street children within Nairobi. The strategy is to collaborate with Street children rehabilitation centers and sponsor children to continue with their education and rehabilitation process.

The money got from the business will help to sponsor as many street children as possible to join school and be rehabilitated. In this program, we look for children in the street and admit them to rehabilitation centers. We pay the amount required for their stay at the rehabilitation centers.  

Monitoring and Evaluation for Transparency

Currently, the organization have a through leadership structure that ensure there is transparency. First the group have a working office leadership.

Apart from the group leaders, we have board members of the group led by George Ongere.