MEKATILILI AWARDS & TRADE FAIR, Welcome to Kilifi’s pride!

MEKATILILI AWARDS & TRADE FAIR, Welcome to Kilifi’s pride!

Nunua Kilifi, Tuza Kilifi, Jenga Kilifi! Everyone wants a chance to market their brand, get more exposure, and connect more with an audience. We do or sometimes don’t understand, the miles we have to go to get that recognition and publicity. That being said, today we’ll go through how supporting events is beneficial for your brand. We will use more examples, including the Mekatilili Awards and Fair, the pride of Kilifi. We will also help you understand who Mekatilili wa Menza is and her great deeds.

Let’s begin with this question. Who is Mekatilili Wa Menza? It’s 1840, and we are taken to the Mutara wa Tsatsu Ganze Village. Being born as a woman warrior; not knowing her name will go down generations to come. Mekatilili Wa Menza was a leader of the Giriama people and was involved in the political struggle between 1912 and 1915 in a fight against the British colonial. It was a time when the slave trade was common in that region and way before…

“We have always anticipated the white man,” 

But today we are not talking of the struggles, but the triumph of the great Mekatilili Wa Menza, who has inspired many. Every year we celebrate the Mekatilili Wa Menza festival at the Uhuru Gardens in Malindi town. People from all over the world come to see the statue of Mekatilili Wa Menza and are always greeted by traditional dancers. A blog by Star News clearly states the proceeds of the event…

Now that you have understood the warrior and the many events that have come up in memory of her, let’s take a different turn and understand the types of events we are looking forward to. In Kilifi and the coastal region, we don’t fail to recognize the great awards that have taken place, starting off with the Mombasa Business Awards, This award makes a difference through the unique way it encourages entrepreneurial activity and recognizes the contribution of the people who inspire others with their vision, leadership, and achievement.

“Since 2013, we’ve been rewarding innovators, success stories, and ethical entrepreneurs in Kenya.”

The Coastal Society Awards, a coastal-based award targets people who have made a significant contribution to coastal management and to the society.

What is similar between the two is recognition, and so is the Mekatilili Awards. But first, let’s introduce the organizing company, KNOB Digital. We are a team of professionals dedicated to crafting digital experiences and providing marketing support. Our services revolve around production, consumption, and visibility which means planning events are part of what we love doing. Having our event enthusiast team, who understands that we are business-to-business marketers. We are here to create opportunities for different businesses and to help them thrive.

Our first event, the Mekatilili Trade Fair, was created with the aim of bridging the gap between consumers and producers. Our target location was Kilifi, and our motto was Nunua Kilifi, Jenga Kilifi, where we were advocating for supporting ourselves and others and recognizing our hometown, Kilifi, as a space where different businesses can thrive.

 “We believe in the potential it holds.” Emmanuel Barakah -Managing Director

Our last event, the Mekatilili Trade Fair, was attended by at least 469 people and got up to 26 exhibitors from both the coasts, Nairobi and Makueni,18 came from Kilifi, 5 from Mombasa, 1 from Kwale, and 2 from Nairobi and Makueni respectively. It was aired on different mainstream media outlets, including NTV, KTN, TV47, KBC, and Ebru TV. It was also featured in KTMN magazine. Finally, the event was officially launched by the Deputy Governor of Kilifi County, Her Excellency Florence Chibule, who also pronounced it an annual event.

In 2024, we are looking at having a combination of both the trade fair and the awards; we are looking at having more people on board; we are looking at Kilifi County and its seven sub-counties.

The Mekatilili Awards is a prestigious recognition program that aims to celebrate and honor exceptional individuals in our community who have demonstrated remarkable achievements and resilience. The name is inspired by the courage, boldness, and audacity of Mekatilili, a legendary freedom fighter of the Giriama community.

It will be a two-day event, The Mekatilili Awards will be held on March 1st and 2nd, 2024. The first day will be a trade fair and the next day will be the awards ceremony. Prior to the event, there will be activities like the nomination, which will take place for a month, and then we will have our judges select our top nominees. This will pave the way for the voting process that will now decide the winners.

As said earlier we are looking at reaching a large audience, given that Kilifi is a vibrant hub of opportunity and inspiration. With a population of approximately 1.5 million, the county’s seven constituencies—Kilifi South, Kilifi North, Magarini, Ganze, Rabai, and more—together represent exciting outreach potential.

Engaging up to 70% of the county’s residents, the Mekatilili Awards promise to leave a profound impact on Kilifi’s dynamic culture and promising future. By sponsoring this transformative event, you are assured of reaching 70% of Kilifi’s residents and generating leads from at least 25% of the audience.

Our main objectives are two.

• To acknowledge the outstanding efforts and accomplishments of these ‘warriors’ who have worked or are working their way to success.

• To inspire and motivate others to pursue their dreams fearlessly in whatever space they are in.

 So why do you need to sponsor this event?

• Increase return on investment,

Though it requires some financial commitment, sponsoring the Mekatilili Awards provides you with excellent exposure, which typically results in a great return on investment (ROI). To get in touch with us on ROI 

• Sponsoring this event creates an opportunity for future collaboration, which means you get to engage with other sponsors and professionals in attendance.
• Sponsoring this event is a learning experience. You get a chance to better understand Kilifi and the insights and strategies you can use to better engage your audience.
• Sponsoring enables you to expand on your content strategy. We promise to have hashtags that directly target your brand, shoutouts, and pictures that you can easily use. graphics and content calendar
• People typically enjoy supporting brands that invest in their community and spread positive messages. That being said, supporting this event builds a positive reputation for your business.
• Yes, you can generate leads by having a representative of your company attend the events you sponsor. You can learn valuable information about your customers, develop a mailing list, and promote your services or products.

 Are you interested? What next after this? Talk to us.