Boniface Waweru is an entrepreneur par excellence who has ventured into the lucrative tourism industry in the United Kingdom. He is the founder and CEO of Jungle Dwellers, a company that was incorporated at a time when he was battling the storm of unemployment in a foreign country. This is the story of the 38 year old as told by WoK.
Background training in tourism
Waweru hails from Kiambu County and studied at Kirangari Secondary School before he enrolled at the Amboseli Institute of Tourism and Technology for a course in tourism and business studies. He then proceeded for internship at the Giraffe Centre. He also worked at the Nairobi National Park, National Museums of Kenya and had a two year stint working as a hotel manager for Panama Hotel in Tanzania.
Search for greener pastures
Through his uncle, Waweru was hooked to a lucrative opportunity to go and work for the UK army. However, his ambition hit headwinds due to financial constraints. He was required to either have a host besides having Ksh 200000 with him.
“That (UK relocation) did not go through because they required Ksh 200k. I do understand why they needed that money because I’m now here and it is very challenging to keep up with the bills,” he says.
Undaunted, Waweru went on to look for another host, this time achieving a breakthrough. He then relocated to the Colchester in UK but his desire to work for the army would slip like sand through an hourglass. He was told that the recruitment rules had changed and he was required to have stayed in the country for at least four years.
“In the process of applying, the rules changed; that you had to have been in the country for about four or five years. I was back to the drawing board,” he told Chams Media.
Incorporation of Jungle Dwellers
Amid the challenges he faced, Waweru did not buckle under the strain. He was fortunately granted a retention visa. In 2019, he incepted a tour company called Jungle Dwellers that would link various tourists from UK to great and adventurous destinations in East Africa. The company sells safari beach holidays to Kenya and Tanzania besides dealing in international flight tickets. It has two offices, one based in London and the other in Kenya.
Despite various challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, Jungle Dwellers has been successful in offering memorable experiences to tourists from a number of other countries as well. These include: Canada, Australia, US and Asian nations. The peak season is usually between July and October. Waweru’s company also helps East African tourists interested in exploring the UK by visa processing and flight booking.
Under the captaincy of Waweru, Jungle Dwellers has been able to be outstanding due to their keen attention to quality service delivery. According to him, they constantly communicate with their clients from inquiry to the end of their tour. He explains that both positive and negative feedbacks have guided the company in improving the services. The entrepreneur’s message to Kenyans wishing to relocate abroad is that life may not be rosy especially for a work-shy individual.
“Here abroad is not easy. You need to come out very strongly and have that resilient heart to fight your way out. If you are a soft man, this is not the place for you,” he says.
