Sokoni means “the marketplace” in Swahili. Sokoni-the marketplace was created to provide solutions to the needs of black-owned businesses.

We have watched over the years as so many businesses in the black community opened and closed.  Some businesses lasted over a year and others couldn’t.

This is because they have had to contend with job work hours  and building a business. This seemed almost impossible due to challenges that they couldn’t easily face while working their main job so they decided to put a hold to business and focus on their jobs.

That was when I started  considering that we can  collaborate almost like a co-op mission or market place where all these businesses can attend weekly, monthly or periodically to sell their products or services in a central location. They can promote their business without having to be present, so that they can keep their jobs and also not need to shut down their businesses

 This would ensure that their business is kept alive, growing and profitable till they’re able to quit their jobs and fully commit to their business.

Sokoni-the marketplace was founded in Windsor and started  with a $3,000 Multicultural capacity grant in the fall of 2017. Through donations and volunteers we were able to keep it alive till 2021 when we thankfully received the black  entrepreneurship program grant from the Federal Ecenomic Development of Agency of Ontario  under the black entrepreneurship program –  Ecosystem fund.

Sokoni-the market place now operates in four other cities in four  other cities in addition to Windsor Ontario – London, Kitchener, Hamilton and Toronto.

The Sokoni- BEP project is delivered by the Nigerian Canadian for Cultural, Educational and Economic  Progress which has its headquarters in Windsor.