Out of 65% youth population in Kenya, approximately 40% are jobless living in great desperation even after spending 23 years in school. It has been so difficult to create jobs opportunities for about 30,000 students who graduates yearly despite the Kenyan government’s efforts to do so. For this reason, I chose to help in creating jobs opportunities for my fellow Kenyans.
My entrepreneurial Journey
I belief, a great entrepreneur create wealth out of one shilling or Marely from a viable idea. With this in mind, I learned to improvise, adapt and overcome every challenge faced. Relying on creativity, skills and ability, together with my classmate Gladys Asingwa, we embraced hand crafting work while still schooling and after graduating in 2014. We could make jewelries and fluffy mats that we use to sell to any willing buyers. Starting capital was ksh. 2,000
Marketing challenge
Although we had the ability to make very appealing jewelry and fluffy mats, reaching a wider market was an issue considering we didn’t have much financial capacity for advertisement. So I decided to move door to door, walk long distances hocking, and displaying the items we make along the roadside.
It was a difficult moment, especially for the family members and friends, to watch a whole graduate hocking even after graduating. I absorbed the hit, knowing that one day, I will accumulate enough money to establish a decent and magnificent business that will employ thousands.
Growth
From ksh, 2000, I managed to accumulate ksh. 80, 000 in 18 months where I opened a small shop and registered a company (African Bravo Creative ltd http://africanscreative.com/) in early 2015. Since then, I have gained the financial muscles gradually and the ability to employ others. So far, I have created job opportunities to about 12 young men and women and inspired many to make good use of self-skills and creativity to earn. The current turnover of my business is approximately ksh.1.5 million.
I look forward to creating more job opportunities as well as collaborate with other developing and developed countries until we concur the poverty and unemployment issue making this world a better place to live in.