“I think what you need is not the money but what you need is
the passion and drive that will enable you get to earn (eventually),” is how
Anzazi Kiti sums it up.
This is her advice especially for fellow youth aspiring to dive
into businesses.
The message aptly captures her own entrepreneurship journey,
seeing that she took it up out of passion. “Since my childhood I was the child
who was always in the kitchen. So despite my background as an accountant, I decided
to shift into my passion which is to spice up kitchens. I found it’s more
fulfilling,” she had told panel judges.
Anzazi Kiti, from Kilifi South and founder of Taste Afrique
Ltd, is the winner of Governors Startup Challenge (GSC) 2019. She runs a food
company dealing in manufacturing, distribution and selling of food seasoning
products dubbed Chibundiro and Siri spices.
The Governors Startup Challenge is a program of the Mombasa based Youth Empowerment Programme Initiative (YEPI), and that seeks to stimulate and promote youth led businesses.
There had been 10 finalists representing the best and
brightest startups to compete in designing and building entrepreneurial
projects that also solve community problems.
Anzazi came up tops to claim the prize award of an equity
funding worth 100,000Kes.
Her company is about three years old now and Anzazi has been
at the centre of nurturing and navigating it to a path of growth, and now sees
the business slowly but surely moving forward with what she terms as the ‘Chibundiro effect’ digging in. The
demand is growing, they’re creating employment, sales project a promising trend
et cetera.
But what is Chibundiro,
you may ask? The natural seasoning product draws its inspiration from the
Chonyi (a Mijikenda sub tribe) culture, but with a unique formula skillfully
made out of onions, ginger, garlic alongside other organic spices. It comes in
three styles in the forms of all purpose seasoning with chilli, non-chilli and
mild offerings and packaged from a range of a 10Kes sachet to a 700Kes jar.
Taste Afrique also produces the Siri product series; Siri ya Chai, Siri ya Pilau and Siri ya
Mchuzi!
Life in Mombasa
had a brief chat with Anzazi:
What made you
participate in the GSC?
I saw the commitment of YEPI on this programme and I could
feel the vision that the vision bearer was having and decided I want to be part
of this noble intervention.
What have you learnt?
I am happy that in the five days of the boot camp I’ve
learnt a lot of things that I’ve never learnt in my business journey so far.
YEPI has taught me different ways that I can employ to succeed in business, and
have also learnt ways to provide community solutions through entrepreneurship.
Why do customers like
Chibundiro and not your competitor’s
products?
I think there are different tastes and preferences but because
Chibundiro is all natural and convenient we are able to impact customer’s
lives. So that they save time, save money and also eat natural food.
Describe how the
experience for 2019 GSC was?
I feel like it was beyond my expectations and honestly I
didn’t expect to win so for me it’s humbling. I thank YEPI.
At first I thought (the boot camp) would be relaxing but it
was back-to-back work and quite engaging. So I am really excited to go back to
work now and continue the journey of entrepreneurship
In an earlier post we highlighted the Governors Startup Challenge, one of the programmes of a Mombasa based Youth Empowerment Program Initiative (YEPI) that seeks to stimulate and promote youth led businesses.
The Governors Startup Challenge (GSC) does this by bringing
together select young entrepreneurs representing some of the best and brightest
startups to compete in designing and building entrepreneurial projects that
also solve community problems.
2019 marks the second edition of GSC, and as hinted in the
last post this year’s edition presented very interesting, ambitious and
energetic 10 finalists that earned their way (out of a pool of over 130
applicants) to the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp that epitomizes the GSC.
The 10 young fellows were officially unveiled by YEPI at a networking cocktail event held at Mombasa’s Pride Inn CBD hotel.
The industries repped by the #GSC2019 finalists are as diverse as they come with blue economy, arts, health, cuisine, agri-business, event management, media & communications, technology and waste management taken care of.
Below are profile of the 10 finalists:
JOSEPHINE ADETI – AWESCRIBERS
Josephine is the founder of Awescribers, an early stage
startup which provides video scribing, augmented reality & 2D and 3D animation
services. Her mission is to disrupt the education sector by stimulating the
uptake of graphic illustrations as the alternative to engaging and interactive
learning experiences.
Her creative productions also aim at changing the
narrative of how presentations and advertisements are packaged.
“Participating in programs like the GSC will help me professionalize
my project. It also helps me publicize my work, few people knew about it
because mostly I used to do it ‘chini ya
maji’” the creative from Kilifi County says.
Animation skills sound like a complicated skills set to
acquire, right? Then you might be surprised to know that Josephine taught
herself all this thanks to that old, useful quality: curiousity. And the
internet!
“When you are excited about something it’s easy to learn.
It took one week.”
ALI MASHUA – LIKONI
CREATIVE CLEANERS SERVICES
Ali’sLikoni
Creative Cleaners Services is a community business tackling environmental
pollution by providing garbage collection and clean-up services as well as
creating awareness on proper waste management practices.
It is estimated that Mombasa produces up to 2,000 tons of
solid waste per day. So you think this is all dirt. Ali thinks he is literally
‘sitting on a gold mine’, plus an opportunity to help in fixing this problem.
“I took a keen interest in the GSC so that I can be
inspired. The program has mentors who are basically entrepreneurs who made it
from scratch and learning from them can be motivating,” says the 20-year old.
ELIZABETH ARUBA –
AFRI-FABRIC COLLECTION
Elizabeth’s AfriFabri-Collection is a business that up
scales fabric waste materials to produce custom made, multipurpose African
print bags, pillows, cushions and shaggy door mats. The Kilifi County based
social entrepreneur is also a fourth year student at Pwani University.
Apart from word-of-mouth referrals that gives her
business, she also markets her products on social media where she sells and
make deliveries.
“My long term goal is to enhance skills development
especially for the women of Kilifi County. When my business grows I would want
to run a workshop and train women on tailoring,” she says.
EVLYNE CHIDZUGWE –
HEALTHY BAKES
Evlyneis a
self-taught baker who is passionate about food. She founded Healthy Bakes, a
home based business aimed at providing consumers with freshly prepared bakery,
pastry products and educating people on healthy alternative at all times.
Evlyne’s healthy baking concept is built around usage of
alternative baking ingredients such as millet flour, rice flour, amaranth
flour, cassava flour, honey et cetera. Her yummy products are not only for
gluten intolerant people and those on diets, but also customers who seek to
venture into healthy eating.
“I am also in the process of making lactation cookies
which am still perfecting the recipe,” she lets on.
ANZAZI KITI – TASTE
AFRIQUE
Anzazi is the founder of Nairobi based Taste Afrique Ltd,
a healthy food companythat manufactures
and sells organic food seasoning
products dubbed Chibundiro and Siri spices.
Three years now down the line since the business started,
they are growing bit by bit but she has an even bigger vision for it. Anzazi
wants to see her brands become Kenya’s leading natural food seasoning products and
available in all households.
On her participation in the GSC2019, “I saw the vision in
YEPIs program and that’s why I wanted to be part of this noble intervention. I
hope to learn something that I’ve never learnt in my business journey so far,”
she says.
LAVENDER OGADA – AFRICA
TO MANUFACTURE (ATM)
Lavender is an Agriculture and Enterprise Development
Graduate and co-founded ATM as a concept to bring affordable solution to small-holder cassava farmers often experiencing
post-harvest losses and exploitation by middlemen.
She and her team aim to be market enablers for cassava
farmers through decentralized agro-processed facilities thus killing two birds
with one stone; adding value for end user’s benefit and offering better prices
for farmers.
“We need capital to make our idea work and I saw this (read
Governors Startup Challenge) as an opportunity to access an asset that will
grow our business,” she quips.
SAID SHARIF – COBRA
EVENT SEC.
Said is the founder of Cobra Event, an event security company that aims to
recruit and train marginalized youth on conflict management, customer care,
health, safety and physical intervention skills in order to create job opportunities.
With
some experience having worked in the sector abroad, he thought that by training
college-going as well as youth who never had a chance to pursue tertiary or
higher education studies in event security it would empower them to eke out a
living.
“The
idea came when I was in the UK, and before I left my home in Kisauni (Mombasa
County) there had been increasing cases of youth crime. Apparently idleness was
cited as the root cause,” he narrates.
That’s what motivated the birth of Cobra Event Sec. To provide the youth in his community with part-time gigs.
MOSES MUNYAKA –
AQUACULTURE
A 19 year-old student at Thika Training Institute, Moses’
entrepreneurial light bulb is to start a fish farming project in the sea areas
of Jomvu in Mombasa County addressing the issues of sea waste management and
boosting protein intake around the coastal communities.
Let’s face it, traditional fishing practices & techniques
are simply no longer sustainable in the long run and this equals to danger in
terms of sea-food security. Fish cage farming is the future of fisheries with
the potential to boost food production and supply.
“I believe lessons
I’ll take from the Governors Startup Challenge program will be impactful in
bettering my idea,” he says.
STEPHEN CALOO – MWANGAZA
DAIMA MEDIA
Stephen is creative and passionate about youth matters. His
digital media agency empowers young people through impactful storytelling by sharing
content on issues affecting the youth and possible solutions via its Mwangaza
Magazine.
It all started
in 2016 as a campus publication, but went on to rebrand outside university to
accommodate a wider audience as well as to assume a more serious outlook in
terms of content offering. It has since grown to also include a commercial wing
providing branding services.
“Each one of us
has a talent which they can use to develop themselves and others,” he advises.
RADHIA WANJIRU – MIND
TO CANVAS
She is strong, is simply how you can describe Radhia. The
24 year-old almost got crushed by the jaws of depression, but this courageous
and energetic young woman fought back and eventually founded Mind To Canvas.
Yes, Mind To Canvas because she’s a gifted artist and
given her experiences, she chose to start a social enterprise that employs art
to pass across social messages around mental health themes.
“At first I didn’t use to sell my (artwork), but my friends
encouraged me to because they liked them,” she says.
“Though I realized most people don’t understand art and
that’s why they don’t buy artwork. So I incorporated mental health messages to
sell the idea that drawings (and paintings) are just as valuable as books. And
now people are starting to buy.”
My name is Cindy Ondego, born Lithimbi. I’m married to a
wonderful man, we have 2 beautiful daughters and I have the ultimate blessing
of being called ‘mum’ about 1000 times a day.
I am also a business owner: MombasaWorks is a coworking, learning and event space that I opened in October 2018; and an international development practitioner. I was born in Mombasa, and it continues to be home to me and my family.
How did Founders come
about?
When the idea for MombasaWorks first entered my mind, I
parked it for a long time because I just didn’t’ see myself as a business owner
or entrepreneur. But I got a lot of inspiration from Guy Raz’s podcast ‘How I
Built This’ – a US-based entrepreneurship podcast. The show is full of raw,
real-life accounts of how ordinary people have built wildly successful
companies. But it’s a US-based podcast; and I struggled to find local content
that also celebrated the entire
journey, recognizing achievements and success, but also unpacking the failures,
personal sacrifices, breaking points etc. That’s how the idea for Founders came
about.
I also really wanted to create a platform for Coast-based
entrepreneurs to share their story, to demonstrate that Mombasa is working, and
there is an entrepreneurship and innovation space here.
Naturally, it has sort of become our flagship event series
as MombasaWorks.
Has Founders been
helpful to the attendees?
Yes! You get to hear the unscripted, real and detailed stories
from a founder who is either from this region, or whose business has a presence
in this region. So it’s like vicariously living through someone else’s
experiences that are probably not far from your own. It’s essentially a huge
learning opportunity without any risk.
We’re really honoured and blessed to have had guests who are
generous with sharing their experiences – so nothing is off the table in terms
of discussion: we’ve discussed everything from racism and the politics of
venture capital fundraising, painful exits and contracts gone sour, work/life
balance, and really major fails. The series provide a risk-free learning
opportunity, and meets people where they need it most, wherever they are along
the entrepreneurship journey.
It’s also a great opportunity to meet new people living and
working in/around Mombasa, in a relaxed environment. I’ve had two people tell
me that they started their ventures after being inspired by the stories from
founders. I didn’t expect that so was really pleased to hear that!
I’ll add, I don’t think there is one path to being a
successful entrepreneur. Nor one ‘model’ of a successful entrepreneur (in terms
of background, education, race or class). I’ve seen that in the guests we’ve
had (and will soon have) on Founders. This diversity in entrepreneurship makes
it really quite exciting as well as accessible for people.
What is your vision
for Founders?
To see Founders reach more people: so for the discussion to
be available in different medium. And for Founders to be a vehicle through
which we can demonstrate the vibrancy of the local ecosystem, to ultimately
spur more local development through more local/community-level investment.
Are you planning to
have creatives like photographer, content creaters etc. to share their stories?
Definitely! I think the journey of a creative entrepreneur
is so rich in lessons particularly because we have a relatively nascent
creative economy so hurdles are bigger and the potential for learning that much
bigger as well.
Can you give us an
insight to what topic will be covered?
All Founders typically follow the same format, one founder
and one moderator having a frank discussion about the former’s journey building
an organization. So, the conversation is broad, but generally covers a founder’s
early years, origins and motivations, experiences raising capital, and insights
into entrepreneurship and Mombasa’s economy in respect to the certain industry
in question.
But the rest of the conversation is entirely led by the
audience and their questions. Some events have focused a lot on raising venture
capital, others on the business model and operations, some on entrepreneurship
and family life and values.
We summarize all events on our blog so one can get an idea
of previous conversations there (www.mombasaworks.com/blog).
Where do you see
Founders in the next 10 years?
In numerous MombasaWorks locations across the Coast region,
through different mediums, telling stories of founders and spreading the values
of curiosity, humility, kindness and diversity in business.
Parting Shot
Ask lots of questions, always, of everyone. But
especially of yourself.
As we create more memories and
enjoy our holidays, and celebrations and milestones, most people are finding a
way to capture these moments. They can either hire a photographer or
videographer or both to capture the smiles, the cries and the joyous occasions.
In Mombasa, hiring a photographer and videographer for your wedding, for
birthdays, events and etc. has become popular.
More people are capturing these moments, and as the demand increases so
are photographers and videographers.
But as days goes by, you can find
about them through friends or social media. Life in Mombasa has curated a list
of photographers and videographers from Mombasa who specialize in the different
genres of photography and videography.
NB: This list will be updated
regularly.
Photographers/Videographers Artist:
To be added to this list send an email with our Name, contact, specialty and
Social Media account to Jamila@lifeinMombasa.com
Specialty: Creative Commercial Advertising Photography for Products, Packs, Jewellery, Foods, Liquids and any kind of advertising photography requested by clients. We also do Portraits through special requests.
The Governors Startup Challenge (GSC) is one of the program menus served up by the Mombasa based Youth Empowerment Program Initiative, popularly known by its acronym YEPI.
YEPI is a non-profit and youth led organization primarily
existing to empower young people from the coastal region as it seeks to address
the sticking challenges of unemployment, poverty and violent extremism.
Through its GSC component whose 2019 edition (the 2nd edition of GSC program) is currently underway, YEPI seeks to stimulate and promote youth led businesses that impact positively on the society. It brings together 10 select young and aspiring entrepreneurs to compete in designing and developing new entrepreneurial solutions to community challenges.
For instance this year’s 10 finalists were sieved from a
very competitive three month’s identification process that saw over 130
applicants from over 9 counties across Kenya express interest. So in other
words, the 10 are the big deal as far as promising, sustainable community centered
entrepreneurships are concerned.
The collective profile of this year’s finalists in terms of
their industry, county and gender representation is as dynamic as they come. The
peak of the GSC is the Boot Camp (on-going currently), a week-long, residential
knowledge transfer activity focusing on a business development regime in the
ways of entrepreneurship and innovation, peer to peer learning, networking,
collaborative sessions, discussions and mentoring.
The C in GSC stands for Challenge, the boot camp usually
culminates in a pitching competition where each finalist puts their best foot
forward to make a case for why their businesses or ideas are worth investing
in. The winning pitch(es) receive an equity funding prize award.
The boot camp sessions and its business development thought and
literature content. It’s an open secret
that many entrepreneurships collapse before they even begin due to a mix of
capacity and focus. And so participants are guided through design driven
startups, business modeling, smart financing options available for
entrepreneurships et cetera.
The heart of the GSC component as one of YEPI’s anchor programs is the concept of social entrepreneurship, such is that leadership, integrity and ethics also feature heavily on the in-class and mentorship experience.
The GSC program goes beyond the boot camp. For instance, after the camp each entrepreneur
is matched with a seasoned mentor to guide them in their business journey and
issues they face in their own communities.
The Governors Startup Challenge is not affiliated with any
political leaders or entities. The objective is, when young people are equipped
with the right skills and knowledge then they’re able to govern their businesses well.
Heena has become part of Mombasa culture, most cultures have
embraced the different designs and patterns that originate from different parts
of the world. You will find beauty schools and individual teach heena
application classes at reasonable prices. In a previous blog we wrote about the
beauty of Heena.
There is always a reason for women to look for heena artists
in Mombasa, be it a wedding, Eid celebration and just to adorn their hands with
beautiful heena patterns. The demand is
always there, with different artists in Mombasa sometimes it is difficult to
find one who fits the patterns you are looking for. Life in Mombasa has curated a list of Heena
artists in Mombasa. The below are different artists that offer different types
of Heena application, click on their social media to see their work.
NB: This list will be updated regularly.
Heena Artist: To be added to this list send an email with our Name, contact and Social Media account to Jamila@lifeinMombasa.com
Constructed between 1400 and 1450 AD the Mbaraki Ancient Mosque Pillar is located just to the west of Likoni Ferry roundabout behind G4S HQs. The Mbaraki Pillar stands at 50 FT tall and is gazetted as a national monument and making it one of the historic places in Mombasa.
The coral stone pillar is the second oldest monument after Fort Jesus. The mosque had fallen to complete ruin by 1550 AD before being rebuilt in 1988. It has a large prayer room, 2 anterooms and stone-built cisterns for storing water on its north-eastern and south-western corners.
My name is
Shufaa Yakut. I create content online. Communication, social media management
etc. I am a writer, I write creative nonfiction and short stories.
I serve the
community full time. Currently the senior administrator and communication
director at swahilipot hub.
I am a web
development/web design student of Pwani Teknowgalz, recently
completed my first project of redesigning swahilipot hub website. You can check
it out, swahilipothub.co.ke
shufaayakut.com
is a website that has stories and articles which mostly favour the female young
adult -soon to introduce kid’s stories too. It matured from
shufaayakut.wordpress.com two years ago. Blogging was inspired by my lawyer
friend, in around 2014-2015 who (sadly) no longer writes. I used to publish
long notes and poems in Facebook until Carole started sharing links to me from
her WordPress account. I thought it was a great idea and decided to download
the WordPress App. From there, I met very many writers via Facebook, Instagram
and events.
Recently
found out that I write for young adults. I put myself in a teenager’s shoes and
I feature her. We rarely read stories that these young adults in high school
can relate to except for movies, which most contain controversial issues that
other parents find offensive. Most teenagers read novels that are not of their
age. I have realized there are no stories about the real things happening to the
current teenage kids. These people read, they are always online so in as much I
want it to look real, I try to make it cool for them.
I put myself
in a lady attending a boring meeting so I write something for her too. A lady
can multitask. The lady stuck in a traffic jam or you who can’t listen to a
podcast, you are welcome.
What do you love
the most about writing?
Writing is
interesting. A writer has to be able to think like both a man and a woman, both
a kid and an old person, both a sane and a mad person to achieve the message
they want to communicate. This makes me research a lot and in the journey,
learn a lot too. I find new strength in writing, especially being open about
controversial topics. The prophet said there’s no shame in learning, that is
why i am finding it now easy to call a spade a spade when I write. Initially I
would hide words till I learnt the power of description. I haven’t fully gotten
it but I am not where I used to be.
Do you prefer
fictional writing or non-fictional?
Initially, I
preferred non fiction because that was all that made sense to me. I did not
believe in what does not exist. Recently I read BINTI, a science fiction book
and found it interesting. It makes a reader more creative by imagining things
and struggling it to make sense in the eyes of a reader. Being able to give
life to a story and creating characters is becoming very interesting lately.
How many African
writers book have you read? And what makes you keep on reading?
Quite a few,
Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nnedi Okorafor, Ngugi wa Thiong’o,
Elnathan Jones I think and a few more.
I have also
read local writers from the country and from Mombasa e.g. Jj Lanji Ouko, Lubnah
Abdulhalim, Nadia Naddy etc. It feels good reading the works of a person you
have met or a person you can relate to.
Well,
reading inspires me to learn the different writers’ brains/thoughts.
How do you get
inspired to write?
Mostly by
reading. Whenever I read, I get an idea to either write something similar or
totally opposite. It jogs my mind and challenges my abilities. Sometimes movies
and people’s stories. I have a lot of people’s stories to publish in my
website, just watch what you say to me. (laughing). Very few times, I go look
for inspiration from places where many people gather, like market places or
Salon. Other times even in public transports. When you hear someone say “hii
Kenya yetu Hii…” know there’s a story following and 60% of the people in the
matatu will contribute.
Women in Mombasa
are slowly emerging in different sectors, how can we use writing to tell the
stories?
We can
always come up with a page in a site to celebrate the success of women in
Mombasa.
As writers
in Mombasa, we need to take a woman’s success as our own individually. Applaud
them even if it’s in a collective article. I believe in team work especially
for victory. In one blog I.e life in Mombasa, every writer can contribute a
sentence or two talking about one specific person’s success every month. This
way, all of us will have a share in it and share it widely. We can introduce
feature stories and interviews for the same too.
What are your
future plans for your blog and writing journey?
I believe
it’s every writer’s dream to publish a book one day. Those who have already
published now wish to have their own publishing sites and maybe a library.
Apart from wanting to publish my own story, I hope to publish a setbook in
future. This will be read by generations to come, both book lovers and non-readers.
Everyone will talk about it and teachers will use my work as examples. My works
will not be easily forgotten. I want to capture people’s thoughts from when
they are in school.
In the near
future, I’m planning to introduce a kid’s section where I’ll be writing stories
for kids and find a way to get them published in the local newspapers. I will
be updating my website quite often and adding every new feature I learn, now
that I have web development knowledge. I am also planning to create a subdomain
for blogs about social media and content creation after Ramadhan in shaa Allah.
I hope it works out as I have planned. Maybe, just maybe, I will add a shop
page. I will be selling thrifted clothes when the need grows because people
have been asking me where I get dressed, during events. 90% of the clothes are
thrifted. So I’ll help a sister out.
What resources
would you advice the youth to use to grow their passion, be it writing, acting,
singing and or any skill they have?
The main one
is using youth centers and safe spaces like Swahilipot hub and MTY impact hub.
Here, they will meet people from all corners of life and grow in thoughts.
Second,
attend events. Especially art related events for the talent lovers. Here you
get exposed to people and the world.
Third, use
their voices especially in events, talk to people more and build networks.
Finally,
YouTube university. Do more research and allow yourself to make mistakes then
correct.
Parting Shot.
If I could, I would advise my younger self to not be
afraid of taking risks, not be afraid of the results and not be afraid of what
the society will say. I would start the moment I thought about an idea.
Dare to do more than what you think you can.
Nobody is born wise. Let us read as much as we can and
keep on learning. Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said, “Indeed, knowledge only comes by
learning.”
Beauty industry is growing daily, every day we are
introduced to a new brand that caters to our skin type, skin tone and etc.
Every products boasts to be the one that will work to clear our face, even out
our skin tone and/or make our face glow. Most of these products have chemicals
that are harsh to our skin type even though they claim to help us. As the
industry keeps growing, some women have come up with organic products that are
less harsh to our skin, purely natural and actually works for all skin types.
There are several women in Mombasa, who have created organic products that are essential for many women, most of them natural and pure. Some are from traditional ingredients that have been used for years generation after generation. Below are a few brands that are in the market in Mombasa:
An online based skincare brand that’s bringing back
traditional recipes using natural ingredients with some aspect of the Islamic
Sunnah (Based on the way of life of the holy Prophet Mohammad PBUH)
What
is the purpose of your products? (IE body wash, hair oil etc.)
We specialize in Karafuu, a herbal clove based face
& body scrub made from 5 natural ingredients with no preservatives and no
chemicals, it’s suitable for all skin types. It exfoliates, helps to heal and
prevent acne and has anti-aging properties.
Name
of your different products.
We stock Karafuu face & body scrub,
– Qasil
powder which is locally known as mkunazi
– seaweed
bar soap
– castor/
baobab oil blend
What
inspired you to start your business?
My inspiration came from my own need for a lifestyle
change due to health issues. I started reading ingredients on products instead
of looking at packaging and brand loyalty and was surprised at all the harmful
chemicals we use on ourselves daily. I decided to take inspiration from our
ancestors and started to research ancient health and beauty traditions and was
hooked! Now I’m hoping to encourage the people of Mombasa to embrace ancient
beauty secrets and ditch the chemicals.
What
are the challenges faced?
I know my products are not for everyone but I wish
people would just give them a try before judging. It’s challenging to convince
people to give up sweet smelling skincare products In packaging that’s probably
more expensive than the actual ingredients and use natural alternatives instead
that are not as attractive but contain much safer, skin friendly ingredients.
Also getting good quality plastic free packaging is very important to me but quite costly as we have to import.
Full of antioxidants and vitamins your skin needs,
anti-inflammatory to reduce redness and irritationSugar: Gentle exfoliation to
remove dead skin cells
Hair
growth stimulator:
promotes
hair growth
strengthens
hair
prevents
hair breakage
reverse
damaged hair
eliminate
dry frizzy hair
restores
shiny
conditions
hair
dandruff
remedy
What inspired you to start your
business?
I
myself love beauty products. For this reason, whenever I travel I always find
myself in search of natural and effective beauty products that are out there.
As
family and friends abroad would notice my interest in beauty products, they
kept requesting me to bring them unrefined shea butter from Africa whenever I
intended to visit them. This triggered an interest in shea butter for me and to
go a step further by trying to find out the best ways of using it as well.
What are the challenges faced?
Being
a small batch producer we face quite a number of challenges:
•
logistics i.e. delivering products outside of our city on time and at a
reasonable cost.
•
finding raw material in small batches.
• sourcing the same packaging material consistently.
What is the purpose
of your products? (IE body wash, hair oil etc.)
My products are 100% organic and the main purpose they serve
is to grow, moisturize and nourish hair of all kind and type. So far, all my
products serve that purpose except the soaps which are used to treat eczema,
pimples, acne and any skin-related issues.
Name of your
different products.
Salummy’s Ayurvedic and Lavender Hair oil
Salummy’s Moisturizing lavender butter
Salummys’ Beard oil
Salummy’s Organic Conditioner
Salummy’s Sulfate-free shampoo
Salummy’s Sheabae powder
Salummy’s Deep conditioning Magic
Salummy’s African Black Soap
Salummy’s Weekly Deep-conditioning Programs- 20
slots available for homemade deep-conditioning masks each Friday.
What inspired you to
start your business?
My main motivation was to create awareness on the side
effects of chemicals on hair. Studies show that they cause life-threatening
ailments like reproductive problems, heart diseases, different forms of cancer,
early puberty, fibroids, and even mental health disorders. Relaxers are able to
disrupt the chemical balance of our bodies by entering our system through cuts
and burns. I also wanted my brand to remind other African women that they are
beautiful. Their hair represents their identity, culture and self-love. When
African women and men know their value and are not influenced by trends or
misconceptions about their identity, they flourish.
What are the
challenges faced?
One of the main challenges is being able to maintain the
growth of clients and ensuring that both the old and new clients can still come
back to purchase my products.
The other challenge is sometimes scarcity of a particular
raw material can delay the production process and because I work with herbs, I
have to ensure that they are ready for use and the rains favor me.
As the business progresses, there might be a need to
increase production more than the normal rate and this can demand a lot of
money-I call it a good problem and I am still trying my level best to
understand how to effectively manage my finances, keep proper records, and not
let the market down.
The other challenge I experience is adjusting with the business when I travel. Apart from this business, I am a Civic leader and writer and I therefore travel quite frequently and this sometimes affects my business. I might leave enough stock to last my suppliers and personal assistants for the time I am away but people would still want to communicate and consult me with regard to various products and this sometimes makes me so overwhelmed when I am back from my trips.
We have a range of coconut-based products for
different uses in the home, divided into two categories;
Beauty and cosmetics
Edible products
Under our Beauty and
cosmetics range we have the following products;
Coconut oil
100% organic cold pressed
coconut oil which contains anti-aging properties that can be used as a daily
moisturizer for your hair & skin. A very gentle makeup remover, it is also
suitable for use as a carrier oil in mixing with other products such as
essential oils, scrubs and masks for both hair and skin. Its gentle on baby’s
skin & is great for dental hygiene through oil pulling
Coconut scrub
Our coconut scrub is made
from amazing all-natural ingredients including coconut flakes, sugar, virgin coconut
oil and some essential oils. The scrub exfoliates your skin to help improve
elasticity and blood circulation which aids in collagen production. It is
guaranteed to hydrate & rejuvenate your skin to give an overall smoother,
brighter, more youthful appearance.
Coconut Jelly
The Coconut jelly is a
sensational product which is a client favorite due to its versatility. We have
6 different types, (eucalyptus, pine, lemon, rose,
strawberry & natural). It can be used on babies to prevent diaper rash.
Great moisturizer for hair and skin and is easy to carry around for everyday
use.
In our edible products
selection, we have the following;
Coconut vinegar
Afroganics
Coconut Vinegar is made from the sap of coconut which is fermented naturally to
preserve its nutrients, which have the same benefits as apple cider vinegar,
and then some! It is therefore a good source of probiotics, minerals and
vitamins, including potassium (which helps balance electrolytes, control blood
pressure, and process sugar), vitamin C and certain B vitamins, particularly B2
or riboflavin (an important vitamin that is essential in the body’s energy
production, cellular function, and metabolism).
The
Afroganics coconut vinegar can be used for various functions in the home such
as your favorite salad dressings, marinades, and sauces for an extra pop of
flavor.
It
is also great for the skin as it reduces dark circles and can be used on your
hair for that extra shine. A truly versatile gem, this product is worth a try
by everyone in the family.
Coconut nectar
Afroganics Coconut Nectar
is a low fructose natural sweetener that is a nutritious alternative to use for
both raw and cooked recipes. A great alternative to honey or maple syrup, it
has a very pleasant sweet mineral flavor, with a hint of floral. Its neutral
flavor does not alter the taste of the food it is added to, unlike other
sweeteners and it can be used in various recipes in your cook book.
Our coconut Nectar is
extremely healthy too, it is high in mineral content, a rich source of
potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It also contains vitamin B1, B2, B3 &
B6
It is completely natural,
unrefined and preservative free.
To explore the potential
of coconut which is vastly available on the coast and spread awareness about
its effective and efficient use.
What
are the challenges faced?
Brand awareness. Our brand is yet to reach a level of awareness to the general public that we would hope for. Especially since we have such a unique range of product such as the coconut vinegar and nectar
Saturated market. The market is full of similar products which may not be as good of quality as ours but since we produce the same kind of goods, it is easy to get lost in the sea of options available.
Difficulty in accessing mainstream market through facilities such as supermarkets and large retailers.
Premier Hospital is the home of Compassion, Care and Competence. Premier Hospital is serious about your Health and Wellness. They offer a wide range of quality, affordable services with the best customer service in the region. Located on Links Road in Nyali, Mombasa, it is easily accessible and serves clients from all the 6 counties of the Coastal Region.
The hospital provides all services; A 24/7 Ambulance,
Emergency Care, Outpatient/Inpatient, Maternity and New Born Unit, Intensive
Care Unit, High Dependency Unit and Operating Theatres. All rooms have WIFI
access and DSTV for a comfortable stay. Premier hospital has state of the art
and well maintained equipment to enhance diagnosis and treatment.
The hospital is reasonably priced and offers value for money. For example, consultation with a qualified doctor is only Ksh1000/- and most of the major insurance cards are accepted. The insurance companies include, Resolution, Jubilee, Sanlam, Saham, APA, First Assurance, Madison, UAP/Old Mutual, GA Insurance, CIC Insurance, Minet, Liason and Kenbright. They also accept international insurance cards such as Cigna, Aetna and Now Health.
Premier Hospital accreditation with NHIF makes it even more affordable. With your normal NHIF card, you can access the following services paid for by NHIF: Ultrasound, CT Scan, Dialysis, all Surgeries and part of the daily bed rate. If you are civil servant (higher job groups), a member of the Kenya Police/Prisons (all job groups) or your institution has an enhanced cover with NHIF, then all services are fully covered by NHIF. Note that all these procedures must be pre-authorized by NHIF and this is done on your behalf by the hospital.
Premier Hospital has ALL Specialists available including:
Pediatricians, Gynecologists (both male and female), Surgeons and Physicians.
The hospital also runs weekly Antenatal, Well Baby, Nutrition and Chest Clinics. Premier Hospital also has a Dental Unit that operates Monday to Friday during working hours.
Premier Hospital is big on Customer Experience. From the moment you arrive, you will be received by a dedicated Concierge who will welcome you with a smile and ready to expedite your needs. They know your time is valuable and waiting time is monitored. There are feedback forms as well as a dedicated Customer Care Hotline where you can give direct, immediate feedback on their services. If you are admitted, the Customer Experience Team does daily ward rounds to find out how your stay is going in the hospital. They will also call you after your visit to find out how you are doing and how your experience was at the hospital.
Premier Hospital is here to give you the best medical care within the shortest time possible. They are Redefining Healthcare in the coast region, one patient at a time.
