Following her job loss as a bank teller in 2018, Bahati Omar, a resident of Mombasa, recognized the urgent need to devise a strategy for generating income to provide for her son and her siblings.
As the eldest of seven children, she assumed the responsibility of supporting her siblings, given that her two elderly parents were without employment.
“I depended on my job to support my family so when I was sacked, I felt like it was the end. However, I knew there was no time for self-pity as my siblings and son needed me,” she said
At that time, Bahati who holds a bachelor’s degree in economic administration and political science, had only Ksh 50,000 left in her bank account.
“I had never thought of venturing into entrepreneurship before, so every time the thought came to my mind, I brushed it off for fear of losing the little money I had.
“I started searching for jobs, but when they took a long time to come, I eventually started considering starting a small business that wouldn’t require much capital,” she stated.
Bahati recounted that while looking for a job online one day, she received a Facebook notification regarding a woman who was promoting doormats crafted from wool.
The following day, she went to the market to buy the raw materials for her business.
“I immediately started researching the doormats, watching videos through YouTube,” she said.
The mats and the four bundles of wool required were priced at Ksh 1,400 per metre and Ksh 120 each, respectively.
“I bought the raw materials and made my first doormat. Mixing white and blue wool and adorning it with a star at the centre,” she said.
Bahati acknowledges that the initial stages of her work were quite demanding due to her lack of proficiency in the skill.
However, she emphasizes that with each customer request for a design, she endeavored to achieve perfection, viewing each instance as an opportunity for growth and learning.
Her clientele includes both businesses and households.
The price of her smallest doormat is Ksh 700, while the largest is priced at Ksh 2,500.
She mentions that during a successful month, her earnings can reach up to Ksh 50,000.
The flexibility inherent in her business model affords her significant time to spend with her six-year-old child, a benefit she did not experience during her previous employment.
“My business allows me to concentrate on raising my son as well as studying. At the moment I am doing the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) course and want to study more on business management in the future,” she stated.
Bahati has also learned embroidery, a skill she uses to add style to clothes.
“I also sell new clothes. Sometimes I get plain t-shirts or dresses, that I embroider,” she added.
Bahati utilizes social media as a platform to promote her business and provides online classes, which have enabled her to attract an increasing number of students since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.
To date, she has trained approximately 30 individuals, many of whom frequently share their success stories with her.
“It feels good every time one of my students sends me a picture of their work or when they tell me about their progress in the business. Due to the pandemic, many people try to get various skills to keep them busy. I train both men and women,” she remarked.
