Anyone living in Kenya and with access to the internet must have come across Bonfire Adventures.
It is a leading and award winning tour company with Simon Kabu as CEO. Sarah Kabu is the managing director.
Sarah Kabu is known for her confidence and outspoken nature. Anyone who speaks ill of the company is likely to be on her receiving end.
Like many others, she started at the bottom and worked her way to the top.
Background
Born on July 13, 1978, Sarah grew up in Blue Valley, Embu town, as the seventh born in a family of eight, four boys and four girls.
Their father James Njagah Njoroge worked at Co-operative Bank while their mother, Rayel Gichuru, was a farmer cum entrepreneur. Both parents were staunch Christians who raised their children in the church.
Education
Sara attended a local primary school before going to Nthagaiya Girls Secondary School in 1992.
Upon completing high school, she attended Kenya School of Professional Studies for a diploma in Business Information Technology.
Career
She graduated from college in 2000, and first worked as an intern for a private business.
Between 2003 to 2009, Sarah Kabu was an administrative officer for an architectural firm.
The Establishment of Bonfire
Back in 2007, WhatsApp did not exist, predominantly people used Google groups. Sarah and Simon were members of the same Google group.
As members, they organized a meet up and the duo was among organizers of a trip to Lukenya, Athi River.
The people were impressed with the outing and had them organize another trip.
Little by little, they began organizing several trips across the country at a fee.
In one instance, at the end of a trip, the client asked for the name of their company and an account for the payment. They had thought the client would just pay as usual via M-pesa.
They came up with name Bonfire Adventures at a bonfire in the Mara.
Sarah and Simon saw a gap in the country’s tourism travel industry. This is because most companies were focused on corporates.
Armed with Ksh10,000, they registered Bonfire Adventures. They operated from a Nairobi CBD office that belonged to Simon’s eldest brother.
Sarah quit her job and went to work full time for their company. They would even work up to 6a.m at times just to kick the business off the ground.
Over time Bonfire has become a household brand and has organized tours both within and outside the country.
Marriage
Simon and Sarah met in 2007 and courted by 2008. Simon often showered her with gifts making her fall even more in love with him.
On one knee, Simon proposed to Sarah in 2008. This was followed by an invite only wedding in Lake Naivasha.
The groom and his men rode on horses while the bride and her maid of honor arrived to the ceremony on a boat.
They embarked on a month-long honeymoon around the world.
Sarah is a mother of two lovely children- a boy and a girl.
