.jpg)
“An organisation’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.” - Jack Welch
In every great workshop, there’s a moment when someone stops taking notes, looks up, and you can see it click. According to the People team, it’s not just about understanding the concept, but about realising that each person is capable of more than they thought. The People team observed this moment 900 times this year.
2025 has been an exciting year for Learning & Development at M-KOPA. For the People team, it wasn’t just about meeting targets or checking boxes. Learning was taken on the road, sparking real change across all five markets.
Picture this: 40 workshops were delivered across five countries. The L&D team travelled to Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria to meet teams where they are, guiding them through sessions on trust, communication, and leadership. These are capabilities that help people work better together, not just perform tasks.
"Now I will lead with confidence," one participant told us afterwards. Another said it plainly: "This was more than training, it was transformation."
The numbers tell the same story. Trust and communication sessions earned a 77 NPS score, and targeted skills improved by more than 40%. Most importantly, 84% of participants said what they learned made a difference every day, not just someday. Chief People Officer Anne-Marie captured it perfectly in her Q2 Roundup. “We took learning on the road, hosted 40 workshops, and reached over 900 people across six countries. That is right. M-KOPA is officially a learning powerhouse.”
Here's what we learned this year: people don't want to be "trained." They want to be equipped. They want tools they can use tomorrow, not theories they'll forget by Friday.
Our L&D team stopped asking, "What courses should we run?" and started asking, "What does our business actually need right now?" This change led to the creation of three tailored versions of the Learning Curriculum. One size doesn’t fit all, especially when working across different markets and teams at various career stages.
The People team added an updated Performance Management Framework to the new Learning Philosophy & Curriculum. Both are based on the idea that development is not just about checking boxes but about working together to solve real business problems. When the performance rating scale stops confusing people and starts helping them grow, progress is being made.
The L&D team made significant improvements to the leadership ecosystem this year. Cohorts graduated from the Ignite and Elevate programmes, and we now have 209 managers participating. Most importantly, the leadership programme schedule was updated to focus on capability needs rather than job titles. We supported our market leadership teams with tailored activities: adaptive leadership sessions were held in Uganda, and team dynamics workshops took place in South Africa.
Leadership, according to the L&D team, isn’t about job titles. It’s about guiding teams through tough times, handling uncertainty, and ensuring everyone can do their best work.
One leader summed it up perfectly: "I'm owning my role. Taking accountability and communicating effectively has become second nature."
When the L&D team started the PLAK culture transformation initiative, it was clear that workshops alone wouldn’t be enough. Culture isn’t created in a conference room; it’s shaped by how people show up every day.
But those workshops? They were the spark. Before we started, 40% of participants rated their trust and communication skills as high or very high. After? That jumped to 92%. And 96% said they felt confident shaping PLAK's future culture.
"My team feels the impact too," one participant shared. "I got great feedback from my team on how what I learned is already changing our day-to-day." That was the L&D team’s goal: learning that goes beyond the workshop. It should follow participants home, into the next meeting, and help with tough conversations that might have been avoided.
In 2025, the team also introduced a Learning Allowance Policy. Sometimes, the best development opportunity isn’t something we can offer in-house. It could be a course on AI tools, a certification you’ve wanted for years, or something we haven’t even considered yet. The message from the People team is simple: growth is a personal choice, and support is available.
The L&D team emphasised the importance of wellbeing through Mindful Moments & Mental Wealth initiatives in the Wellness Spot, as well as practical tools to help colleagues reset, refocus, and recharge without needing a meditation retreat.
The Recognition Corner was kept active because growth isn’t just about learning. It’s about noticing colleagues, celebrating wins, and recognising the hard work that makes M-KOPA better.
What's Next
2025 has shown what is possible when learning becomes the engine of progress, not an afterthought. Looking ahead, the L&D team is supporting AI learning initiatives by advising on training rollout, and sharing bite-sized digital content on M-KOPA Academy. As the team looks ahead to 2026, they are excited to continue building the M-KOPA Academy, providing our employees with bite-sized learning accessible directly from their smartphones, ensuring we can reach every member of our team.
More than any programme or platform, the People team is working to build a culture where curiosity is valued, growth is expected, and people truly believe they can become more than they were yesterday.
We would like to celebrate everyone that showed up, got involved, and chose growth this year. For anyone wondering whether M-KOPA is a place where both careers and people truly grow, we implore to come find out for yourself.
Real Stories. Real Impact. Real Transformation.
"Trust starts with me. I'm building trust both in and outside the workplace. That's a game-changer."
"Now I have the courage to collaborate, lead, and help M-KOPA grow stronger."
"I can now address issues with clarity and adapt my communication based on others' styles."
This isn't just a newsletter — it's a snapshot of who we are, how far we've come, and where we're going next.
Because everything in these pages was made with you — and for you.
.svg)
