He is many things in one-a scholar, entrepreneur, politician and a philanthropist. Meshack Kimutai Ruto’s journey from the streets of Eldoret to where he is today, is a story of determination and perseverance as you will see elsewhere in this article. This writer takes you through the life of one of the most talked about entrepreneurs in Kenya.
Age
Meshack was born on 16th Nov 1990.
Family
He was born into a humble background 30 years ago at Kapsabet, Nandi County. He is third born in his family
Education
The philanthropist attended Kapsabet academy and Nandi primary school where he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations. He joined Uasin Gishu High School for his O-levels but had to drop out in 2006 for lack of fees. A year later, he went back to school after making money from washing cars in Eldoret and scored a C plus. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Kenya University and Masters in leadership and Management, Management University of Africa. Meshack is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Westminster, London, United kingdom.
Career
His work starts from Eldoret town washing Matatus at Kshs. 100. He mobilized street boys in the business and they could wash manually and he would pay them kes30 per day. He later bought a pressure car washing machine at Kshs. 40,000 and increased his cost of washing to Kshs. 200 per car. This was the business that enabled him to pay for his school fees and sit for his KCSE examinations. The young man, burning with ambition, boarded a bus to Mombasa in pursuit of greener pastures just after sitting his last KCSE paper.
He told Businessdaily of the rude awakening that welcomed him in Mombasa:
“I would sleep in night clubs, sipping one bottle of soda the entire night. I thought Mombasa had bigger opportunities but they did not seem forthcoming….”
He did not lose hope and in 2010 he got a job at Boss Freight, a logistics Company as a tallying officer. His work involved counting cars offloaded from ships at terminal one of Kenya Ports Authority. He earned kes1,000 for a shift of six hours but opted to work twenty-four hours (around the clock service). Keen on being his own boss and fully aware that the best way to achieve this was volunteering in his area of interest. This is how he landed at Vogue Tours and Travel Company as a messenger. In the process of doing his job, Kimutai observed and learned how the company was getting clients for safaris. He was to later do the same for the company at a commission.
He went on to open his tours company at TSS Towers, Mombasa, a company dealing with selling cars, offering accommodation, sourcing clients from outside markets and locally. The company grew to have two branches in Mombasa with 12 staff members. He ventured into real estate and general supplies through his other flagship company, Mesh Group Limited located at Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Mesh Group Limited has built twenty-three bedroom units at Eldoret’s Pioneer Estate at over Kshs. 40 million. The company also supplies general items to the government of Kenya.
Meshack Kimutai Foundation
Meshack founded Meshack Kimutai Foundation in 2013 to give back to the society and to empower the youth and women of his area. The needy and bright students and those in the University have benefitted from this arrangement. His Foundation aims at providing opportunities to the less fortunate and cushioning them from the difficulties he underwent. Meshack is a firm believer of Professor Mbithi mantra, “I am because you are, and since you are therefore I am.”
