In the bustling Kamukunji Jua Kali garage, located in the heart of Nairobi’s dynamic capital, a remarkable story of determination, innovation, and female empowerment unfolds.
Amid the clanging of metal and the hum of machinery, Phillis Anyango stands out as a beacon of success in the male-dominated world of metal crafting.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Phillis’s journey into the world of entrepreneurship began with a twist of fate.
After her husband’s three consecutive unsuccessful attempts to secure a spot in the KCB Foundation 2Jiajiri programme, Phillis decided to seize the opportunity herself in 2017.
Little did she know that this decision would mark a turning point in her life and set her on a path to become a leading figure in Kenya’s metal craft industry.
Born and raised in Kisumu County, Phillis initially pursued a career in nursing, graduating with a Certificate in Nursing from the Kenya Medical Training College in 2003.
However, financial constraints prevented her from furthering her education and she soon found herself in Nairobi, married to Thomas Mboya Ogello.
The couple faced numerous challenges, with Thomas losing his job as a metallurgist and the financial stability of their young family crumbling.
Undeterred by adversity, the couple explored business ideas to make ends meet.
“At first, we thought of opening a chemist but the little funds we had saved could not allow us,’’ Anyango told the Star.
This prompted them to delve into the metal business. They transformed their modest one-bedroom dwelling in East Leigh into a spade workshop.
Buying spades at a wholesale price and fitting them with wooden handles for resale in local markets proved to be a challenging but fulfilling venture.
Their hard work and dedication soon caught the attention of the local community. A family friend introduced them to Kamukunji, where they rented a workshop space.
Here, Phillis’s basic craft skills came to the forefront as they diversified into manufacturing metal boxes.
With each passing day, their small business expanded, fueled by aggressive production and effective marketing strategies.
Amid their success, Phillis’s husband applied three times for the KCB programme, with no luck.
However, their expanding business caught the eye of the programme’s organizers. In a twist of fate, Phillis was given the opportunity to participate.
Equipped with newfound skills in digital marketing, financial management, and business operations from the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), courtesy of the KCB programme, Phillis emerged not just as an entrepreneur, but also as a trainer and mentor.
The KCB programme not only honed her technical skills but also provided her with the essential toolkits that now play a pivotal role in her business’s day-to-day operations.
With her knowledge and experience, she has come full circle, now training youths in plumbing and business development skills at Art Skills in Ngong under an eight-month contract with KCB.
Phillis’s passion for sharing knowledge and nurturing young talents shines through.
The entrepreneur believes that Kenya possesses a wealth of innovative and hardworking youth who require mentorship to unleash their potential.
Phillis Anyango emphasizes the need for both the government and private sector to invest in technical institutions, viewing them as engines that can drive the nation’s economy forward.
A devout Christian, Phillis begins her day at 4 AM, preparing her family for the day ahead and opening her workshop at 6:30 AM with a prayer.
Her tireless dedication extends to her role at Gearbox, where she participates in a morning prayer service at 8 AM.
Evenings see her back at her Kamukunji workshop, assessing the day’s activities after nearly eight hours of supervising and mentoring at the training institution.
The journey from struggling beginnings to standing as a successful entrepreneur has not only transformed Phillis’s life but has also brought about positive change for her family.
Their achievements include providing quality education for their children, acquiring property in Kamukunji, and building a family home in Homa Bay County.
She envisions a future where her success reverberates within her community, breaking the cycle of rural-urban migration by creating sustainable job opportunities for local youth.
As she fervently believes, it is not just the brilliance of the mind but the diligence of one’s hands that paves the way to success.
Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Phillis’s optimism remains unshaken, and she looks forward to calmer waters ahead for her business.
