With hundreds of thousands of graduates being churned out every year into a shrinking job market, many young Kenyan professionals are finding themselves unable to find employment after graduating. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), at least seven million Kenyans are unemployed, with young people accounting for 70 per cent of that figure. Consequently, the number of young people turning to business has increased significantly.
Despite some stereotypes and expectations from family members and society that hold white-collar jobs in high regard, entrepreneurship has proven to be a viable option for many jobless graduates. Wanjiku knew exactly what she wanted to be when she graduated from Karatina University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in communication and public relations – a PR specialist. But this was not to be, as she applied to several jobs but was never hired.
Rather than mope over her state of unemployment, Wanjiku relocated to Nakuru and opened a barbershop, which, after seven months, collapsed. She claims that the barbershop’s location was not ideal, and that she lacked experience managing the business, which she co-owned with a friend. “My partner and I sold the barbershop for Sh80,000 and we split the proceeds equally.
Those funds served as my starting capital when I entered the cereals business. I purchased a bag of rice from my mother, who had a similar shop,” she says. Wanjiku thought it wise to put her PR and communication sk.
