Agnes Wacuka is one of the brilliant entrepreneurs in the big Nairobi Muthurwa hawkers market. Her entrepreneurial journey was not easy and short as many may think. When I visited Agnes at her business place in Muthurwa hawkers market she was much overwhelmed to share her story with me.
In the story she clearly proves that nothing is impossible with determination, will and persistence. In 2006 Agnes was working in Dandora Catholic church as a cleaner and received little allowance for her service. This allowance was very little to meet her basic needs and those of her child.
Life responsibilities kept adding pressure on her shoulders, making her think of starting a small business but where to get the capital was the big question which remained unanswered. In an attempt to find solution to her problem she decided to approach the church social worker and share her problem with him as the wise says a problem said is a problem half solved. By doing so little did she know that her prayers were about to be answered. The social worker was happy with Agnes decision and told her about Maji Mazuri Mavuno micro finance project whose vision is to empower the community members by extending loans for initiating or expanding their businesses.
Agnes was very happy to hear about Mavuno and expressed her interest to join the project. The social worker introduced her to the project officials who welcomed her warmly and helped her join a 5 member group who were to act as guarantors for her loans. After getting her fist loan of KSH 3,000 she invested the money in buying second hand clothes for hawking which was a forward step towards realization of her dream that one day she will be a brilliant entrepreneur. She hawked the clothes within Huruma, Mathare and Dandora. This business was somehow difficult for her as a lady but had determination that one day she will own a permanent business premises.
In few months she was through with repaying the first loan and acquired a second loan of KSH6, 000. With this money she expanded her business and now moved to the Nairobi city streets as a stationed hawker. It didn’t take longer before the city council officials started to harass them. The government had build a big hawkers market and wanted to relocate all the hawkers to the city in an attempt to clear the streets and keep the city clean. This was a big shake up in her business but she did not give up.
After displacement to Muthurwa Agnes was lucky to secure a stall number 2F which gave her the opportunity to expand her business without fear since the stall was secure and permanent. In the new business place her business picked off well with increased sales which led to increased savings. This also enable her repay her loan without any problem and acquire the 3rd phase loan of KSH 10,000.
With this amount and her saving she changed her business from 2nd hand clothes to new clothes .This translated to more sales which saw her business grow bigger and bigger. Agnes is now a happy mother/entrepreneur who only beliefs that the sky is the limit. Through her business she is able to meet her basic needs, pay school fees for her child, support her family, live a descent life and afford better health care something which was a dream 4years ago.
Below is Agnes Wacuka at her business premise in Muthurwa hawkers market.
Her happiness cannot be wiped off her face when she talks about Mavuno and the work it is doing in empowering the community economically for the better. Her final words were and I quote “Bravo Mavuno and Maji Mazuri as a whole for the wonderful job you are doing in lives of many”.
