My name is Victor Kuria, a 23 year old individual. I am awaiting graduation with Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management. Having grown up in a village setting, am an individual who has a passion in farming, which I started practicing since I was a kid. I am also passionate about life and making the world a better place for a neighbor or two by creating employment. I am also passionate about football, both playing and watching. I usually play soccer at a local club during my leisure time. In fact, in my bucket-list, is to offer mentorship to young players of the sport to nurture their talent and be able to put bread on their tables as a way of giving back to the society. I have realized that I can help others achieve their dreams, which I never realized myself. All it takes is support and being a role model to some young ones, who don’t have anyone to guide them through and help them avoid the pitfalls I have seen.

After High School, as I awaited enrollment in college, I had a lot of time at my disposal and at the same time felt I needed to earn some money for my little personal needs and I started producing vegetables like kale, broccoli, cabbages, capsicum and coriander (these are the basic stews in most Kenyan households). I started selling the produce to the local market at relatively good return, putting in mind the locality of the market in a growing town in the area, keeping the demand high. I tried to apply every basic knowledge I had acquired since childhood and what I had learned in the farm from my father.

All through my life to this point, I have had the urge to create a name in the business field, through implementation of most of the ideas I have come along or developed in mind. I have a strong belief in helping a neighbor stand on their feet to reduce the level of dependency, other than feeding the neighbor forever. I would like to be part of reducing the dependency by using what I have to offer employment and consequently earn a living. This would promote peace and good correlation within the community.

Being a business student, I would also like to interpret my business aspects into farming and other sectors, through educating others on some ways of commercializing most of the domestic activities in the rural areas like dairy farming and bee-keeping practices.

I would like to build a business empire that lives on longer after me, and at the moment, am working hard in life and in business, to see that come true.

After High School, I started commercial farming, growing vegetables like kale, coriander, capsicum, cabbages and broccoli, which are the basic stews in most Kenyan household. The earnings were relatively good, favored by the locality of the market in a growing town. This also assured the continuity in demand for the produce.

Later last year, I decided to get rid of the middle-man and came up with a grocery-shop from which I sell my produce directly to local consumers. The grocery-shop has increased the profit margin by 30-40%. I have employed an operator at the grocery-shop.

The production of the vegetables has an all year-round demand, which I meet even in the dry season. I have a greater edge over the other farmers through the use of water from a dam in the farm (it is also piped, courtesy of my dad, who initiated the farming bug years ago).

In a bad week, the grocery earns me about 42$ from the sales. Out of this, I pay the operator 8$ every week (6days). I also use 6$ from earnings for pesticides, as pests are rampant in the dry season. I also use 8$ on hiring casual labor on the farm, which is usually twice per week. This involves activities like weeding and application of fertilizers and manure. 12$ goes to my weekly savings.

With the savings and the loan, I intend to start a carwash. After a detailed research, the idea is favored by many factors; its location near the main road to the major town, availability of space, water and its location at the outskirts of the town. After enquiry on the costs involved in starting and running such a business from a similar, existing one, I will need a total of 825$ as a start-up.

2 Lorries of ballast will be required and will cost 353$. Casual labor for setting up the carwash bays and leveling off the ground will cost 120$(bays will accommodate 5 Lorries and 5 cars at the same time). Acquisition and putting up of the simple shade structures will cost 95$. Another 120$ will be used for buying required equipment; 10 plastic buckets each at 2.35$, 120 meters of hose pipe at 0.5$ per meter and 4 drying ramps, 12$ each. 59$ will be used for the daily running of the business. This will include buying of required detergents and hiring of labor at the carwash.

I am currently in an agreement with a friend who will hire me out a pressure washing machine for four months at a cost of 177$, time within which the business will have grown to start earning profit. I intend to buy my own pressure washing machine putting in account the long term hiring costs and also a tank (currently my dad has agreed to let me use a ‘support’ farm tank which is a bit smaller than needed).

I am looking forward to growing in business in every step with you!! Thank you in advance.

2 Lorries of ballast will be required and will cost 353$. Casual labor for setting up the carwash bays and leveling off the ground will cost 120$(bays will accommodate 5 Lorries and 5 cars at the same time). Acquisition and putting up of the simple shade structures will cost 95$. Another 120$ will be used for buying required equipment; 10 plastic buckets each at 2.35$, 120 meters of hose pipe at 0.5$ per meter and 4 drying ramps, 12$ each. 59$ will be used for the daily running of the business. This will include buying of required detergents and hiring of labor at the car wash.

I am currently in an agreement with a friend who will hire me out a pressure washing machine for four months at a cost of 177$, time within which the business will have grown to start earning profit. I intend to buy my own pressure washing machine putting in account the long term hiring costs and also a tank (currently my dad has agreed to let me use a ‘support’ farm tank which is a bit smaller than needed).