Mentor

Mentoring is a vital part of the training. This happens particularly during the 5 personal visits each learner gets during the year of follow-up after the initial one month course.

Oduor Wilfred Munuan’go participated in a BFL training in Nakuru. He has continued the Boda Boda business (bicycle/motorcycle taxi) that he began on the training. He started with a bicycle and by the third follow up visit he had bought his own motorcycle. He is able to meet all his expenses and his records are well-kept and accurate. Recently he began conducting research on a quarry business which he wants to start in the future. He plans to employ people to shape building stones which he will then sell.

Wilfred Oduor

Rono Caleb Kipsang was very hardworking during the course. He took the research aspect of the course very seriously. He said he had previously been exposed to much of the theory but applying it had always been tough; however, the practical nature of the Business For Life course helped him with this.

During the money making activity he started selling sodas then went into a manufacturing business making and selling detergents. By the first follow up visit one month after the course, he was running a small cafe while continuing to make and sell detergents. He was supplying schools and had a monthly turnover of 12,200 Kenyan shillings (100 kshs = $1 US). He had one employee whom he paid 2,500 Kshs and his own salary was 3,200 Kshs.

During the second follow up visit, two months after the training, he was still running his cafe and also had made one room of his house into a guesthouse because he saw a need for people who were coming from far to visit their sick family members and friends from faraway, His monthly turnover was 12,040 kshs, his salary was 7,600 kshs and he continued to pay his employee 2,500 kshs.

By the third follow up visit, four months after the course, he had added a tailoring business as well as renting out a machine to carry coffins for the nearby mortuary. His monthly turnover was 38,900 kshs, his salary 7,700 kshs and he is employing four people!

Caleb

Caleb is assisting his siblings by paying their school fees and providing seedlings for their farm. He has been able to build his own house and business premises. He is currently constructing a fish pond as an additional business idea.