By Prudence Minayo
The allure of white collar jobs is quickly fading away as Kenyans discover other ways of making good money. This can also be attributed to the high number of highly qualified individuals chasing the few jobs. However, as the middle class grows and expatriates flock into the country, a number of people have found a way to make a living through jobs that require no specialized training like walking dogs.
In an article titled Gardeners, dog walkers and trainers making upto Sh400,000 a month on Businessdaily, a number of Kenyans with no specialized training are making a decent living walking man’s best friend.
WoK brings you the story of Linus Maranya, a dog walker who has been in the trade for 25 years.
Linus Maranya
Linus Maranya is a Nairobi based dog walker doing a job many would consider an easy and entertaining hustle. His hustle has sustained him for more than two decades and through his job, he comfortably took his three children through different levels of education.
“I have raised and educated my three sons up to university. They are now working. I can take care of my needs comfortably,” he told BDLIFE
For a number of years, he has established a clientele with expatriate families. He provides them with dog walking services for the entire duration of their stay in the country, which for most is between four to five years.
Also Read: Rags To Riches: Kenyan Hawkers Who Went On To Own Multi-Billion Businesses
“I walk dogs for three or four families. I will usually walk them three times every week. Currently, I have a client whose dogs I walk for six days,” he said.
He earns between Sh300 to 400 an hour by walking puppies and at least Sh500 for the large dogs.
Training Dogs
Unwilling to stop at just dog walking, he also trains dogs on the side. Although he has relatively fewer clients in this area, the pay is more compared to dog walking. He trains all kinds of dogs from puppies to mature dogs.
It is safe to say he is some kind of a dog connoisseur. After all, at the age of 57, he has trained and walked different kinds of dog breeds. This job has enabled him to live an active life.
Gardening
Thinking that his job ends with dogs would be a completely wrong assumption. The experienced dog walker is also a gardener. If there’s one profession that’s rarely acknowledged it’s gardeners. Transforming gardens into picturesque views is another thing Mr. Maranya does very well.
He offers gardening services to a number of families in Westlands and Lavington neighborhoods. This allows him to earn the extra coin.
Over the years, he has learnt to manage time and fit everything into his timetable. This just goes to show how creating opportunities and establishing trust with clients could create fountains of good fortune in one’s life.
Read the full story on Businessdaily
