I was born in 1981 in Kenya to parents who were business people. The were Christians staunch and before I began nursery school they became priests in one of the Pentecostal churches in Kenya. Immediately we moved from our urban residence to a remote town in Norther Kenya - Maralal Samburu. This place is so remote that to date there are some people who don't wear clothes. They wrap robes.

This is where I began school and did my 0-level. Due to the town's remote state, education is not taken with much seriousness. My parent's financial strength was also a challenge which made me go to not good schools, and being sent home periodically for school fees. This affected my education in the negative way.

After high school I went to college and did my certificate in human resource management but it became difficult to continue with higher education due to finances. This prompted me to venture into business.

I have tried my hands in various businesses. In those small businesses, I did my savings and managed to buy a Suzuki Maruti Omni minibus.

I work in the transport sector using my Suzuki Maruti Omni minibus. This business is a commuter transport.

In my current locality, the most common mode of transport is motorbike - taking people from the town center to their respective homes in the estates. The other not so common mode of transport is 'tuk-tuk' (forgive me, I can't remember the official name to this 3 wheeled motorbikes. The above two modes of transport encounter several challenges.

The motorbikes for instance, clients/commuters fear for their safety since most riders don't driving licences and therefore not qualified to ride. A lot of accidents occur in this town due to the rogue riders all over the place.

The three wheeled motorbikes also experience the same challenges. Commuters feel very much unsafe riding in these 'tuk-tuks' as well.

After observing the above challenges, I came up with a more comfortable vehicle to take people to their destined places. I was the first person to come up with this idea in this town and with time it has become so popular and accepted by the society.

I have had a taxi business for a while now. The business has been experiencing a lot of challenges including friction with the 'conventional' modes of transport. These include motorbikes and bigger vans. They have been viewing our type of vehicles as a threat that has come to eliminate them from the market. With this perception in their minds, they have been waging war and fighting us from all fronts. They have been using unorthodox ways to get us out of the market and this has made the business become unprofitable. I get very little from the business. And the little I get is from hand to mouth, coupled with unending repairs of the vehicle having in mind that it is quite old.

This made me think of venturing in another activity that will be income generating to keep my young family going. In a bad day, I don't get clients/commuters to ferry. This strains me financially a lot.

I recently got introduced by a friend of mine to the on-line working business. I went ahead and opened an account with some websites so that I start working on transcription, web design, graphic design and other fields that I am skilled on.

I feel ecstatic that my skills will finally be put to good use and generate me some income. Getting white collar jobs in Kenya is quite an uphill task. But this is a golden opportunity to put my skills into good use.

Much regards,

Mike

I have a really pressing issue. I paid half of my daughter's school fees. I was required to pay $250 at the start of the term. I managed to raise $100 and paid it. The school's administration has been threatening to send my daughter home for the remaining balance. I have not been able to raise this money since my business is currently experiencing limited cash flow as it is the beginning of the year. I anticipate - as it has always been - the business to pick as we get to the end of February an start of March.

I therefore in this light seek financing to raise the balance for her school fees and help her learning go on uninterrupted. It gives me so much peace to know that she will have her learning go on uninterrupted and not affect her grades in school.

Thank you in advance as you help keep little Katie in class.

Regards,

Mike