Jacinta Mbithe: How Kenyan Who Travelled To Egypt As Househelp Built A Successful Business Empire

Jacinta Mbithe is the chairperson of Kenyans in Egypt Association, helping Kenyans working and living in the North-African country.

Through the association, they have transported bodies of Kenyans who died while working in Egypt and settle medical bills for those who are unable to.

Mbithe travelled to Egypt in 2016 in search of greener pastures but she was departed a year later; however, she went back as a student, after which she was able to start the organization.

Here is her story as told by WoK.

Mbithe was born in Mwala, Machakos County but she was raised in Makindu, Makueni County where she attended school.

After completing school, she fell in love with a man who ended up marrying her and together they were blessed with two children.

With the husband working as a civil servant, Mbithe stayed at home to take care of their children although she ran a small business.

Unfortunately, her husband passed away in 2004 forcing her to step up and play both roles; a mother and a father.

With two helpless children on her, Mbithe struggled to make ends meet but it did not take long before help came her way.

In 2016, a friend who lived in the United States offered to help her secure a job and so the process to get the requisite documents began.

However, Mbithe was unsuccessful as she was denied a visa.

While reeling from the pain that comes with the failure to secure the visa, a friend told her of a relative who worked in Egypt.

The mother of two began the process of getting the documents yet again, and fortunately for her, she was successful.

Mbithe flew to Egypt where she first worked as a domestic worker before she started working in a gym and later as a translator.

However, her stay in Egypt was halted after she was arrested for being in possession of an expired visa while on a trip to another country.

Following her deportation, Mbithe reapplied to go back to Egypt but as a student, and worked as she studied.

With savings from her part time job, she was able to set up a boutique before investing in courier services.

Mbithe later invested in a forex company that helped Kenyans working in Egypt send money back home, and eventually registered Kenyans in Egypt Association.

With over 500 members as of 2020, the organization has transported bodies of Kenyans who died while working in Egypt and financed their burials.

They have also settled hospital bills of those who are unable to and purchased investment properties in Kenya.