Bob Collymore Foundation

BC International Jazz Festival Auditions
2023-09-23 00:00 - 17:00 (Africa/Nairobi)
For February 2024, we are planning a bigger stage! We invite you to be part of this event and are looking forward to receiving your registration. Once you register HERE, more information will be sent to you via email with details of when and where to show up to show off what you can do!
The competition is usually stiff so here’s a few tips for the day:

Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse.
Dress sharp.
Arrive on time!
Come ready to have a fun time but also impress the judges.

See you soon!

BC International Jazz Festival 2023
2023-07-01 00:00 - 23:59 UTC | Carnivore Grounds
JAZZ TAKEOVER
The BC International Jazz Festival (BCIJF) is a festival series that promises to become Kenya’s most influential jazz experience. Jazz has been part of the Kenyan fabric since the 1960s. In the 2010s, it rose to prominence as a direct result of Bob Collymore’s interest in the genre through the immensely popular Safaricom International Jazz Festival. Today, jazz has evolved the Kenyan music soul.
Bob strongly believed in the power of music as a tool to unite people from different backgrounds. He thought music could act as a catalyst to democratise the arts and erase socioeconomic barriers. This is why the BCIJF is keen to carry on his legacy – to build bridges and make live music accessible to more people. Each jazz festival is more than a one-off event. It is a continuous quest to broaden the unifying influence of music for Kenyan society.
Our plans for a grand concert to be held in February 2024 include hosting international artistes from the USA, Belgium, Germany, our neighbours here in Africa and more. We will also offer cross-cultural exchange through Master Classes. Every series year, the Festival will select a deserving project which will receive part proceeds from the ticket sales. Our beneficiary for 2023/2024, is Ghetto Classics.
GHETTO CLASSICS
Ghetto Classics is the flagship programme of the Art of Music Foundation. The programme is the result of its Founder, Elizabeth Njoroge’s vision for classical music’s ability to change the lives of children in some of the poorest communities in Nairobi. Started in 2007, the community programme involves over 500 children in Korogocho – where about 300,000 urban, low income households exist.
The program also works with over 1000 more children in nine satellite areas around Nairobi, one in Kiambu and four in Mombasa. Through such partnerships, the Festival will continue to uplift and empower communities across Kenya.
Tickets for the July 1st 2023 inaugural BC International Jazz Festival can be found here: https://mookh.com/event/the-bc-international-jazz-festival

BCF Business Connect
2022-12-10 17:00 - 22:00 UTC | Capital Club East Africa
In partnership with the Capital Club East Africa, the Nairobi Stock Exchange and Kestrel Capital
Bob Collymore was passionate about was small businesses. He was particularly interested in how startups could be the future of sustainable business and lead the way is using business for good.
The Business Connect Series offers small innovative businesses the opportunity to learn and network with key players and industry leaders. These conversations give small businesses some of the tools they need to build on their success.
At this first event, we invited The Nairobi Stock Exchange to discuss their latest product to onboard
small to medium business as a way to seek capital from possible investors. The IBUKA program is tailored to the needs of small/medium size companies and is an incubator platform that helps businesses work toward listing on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.

THE BODAPRENEUR PROGRAM
2022-05-20 | Marist Center, Karen
The Bob Collymore Foundation together with InkedBikers and Radio Africa Group provided a one day training workshop for boda- boda riders. This motorcycle safety training program was complemented with basic business skills to professionalise commercial motorcycle riding.
“Boda Yangu, Ofisi Yangu,” provided three modules:
MENTAL SKILLS OF RIDING – A video tutorial and a Q&A session to test the rider’s situation awareness, hazard perception, understanding of traffic and road rules amongst others.
BASIC CUSTOMER CARE SKILLS – A short training session on how to best maximise customers satisfaction with business.
MOTORCYCLE SKILLS HANDLING AND TESTS – A practical session to assess the riders’ skills on the motorcycle and to address the challenges by providing some training then and in the future.
The workshop culminated in a skills test with the 1st Prize Award being a brand new motorcycle to enable the winner to start or expand their business. Chris Kobia was the winner of this brand new motorcycle. He plans to start a business now that he owns his bike and is no longer solely employed as a rider.
Additionally, the workshop empowered riders who can then in turn educate others on basic motorcycle safety and customer service. The riders from this workshop are connected via WhatsApp and can now work as a community.
This program was in partnership with Radio Africa Group, InkedBikers and CapitalFM.

Bob Collymore Online Memorial International Jazz Festival
2020-07-01 18:30 - 23:30 UTC | Online, Youtube
A special online memorial and tribute done during Covid19.
This technology enabled celebration saw performances by among others, Jonathan Butler (USA), Maya (Israel), Jef Neve (Belgium) – with a special composition for Bob. There were also tributes by people who knew Bob personally and kind words from Richard Branson, Mo Ibrahim, Michael Joseph and Juliani. The memorial ended with a recorded saxophone session of Bob performing “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers.
