Jackee Kasandy is a Kenyan entrepreneur based in Canada who is well-known for creating and selling one-of-a-kind kiondo bags.
Some of the bags which are made in Kenya then shipped to Canada are adorned with the iconic Maasai shuka, giving it an authentic look.
Her journey in entrepreneurship moved to Canada at age 23 and settled in Vancouver.
During her trips to Kenya, she would return to Canada with kiondos and scarves which appealed to many people she encountered, and they frequently complimented her.
People in Vancouver were interested in the bags, so she decided to start selling them under an internet shop dubbed, Kasandy, as well as a physical store.
“People in Vancouver are receptive, they care about making a difference in the world and are interested in handmade products, and they are curious and excited about the stories of the people they buy from,” she said.
Doline Nyambati: Kenyan Cashing in From Selling Chapatis, Samosas for Ksh 8,100 in the US
Kasandy sells a variety of items, including African scarves, jewellery and wooden cookware with the kiondo bags going for a maximum of US$150 (Ksh 18,330).
Kasandy also co-founded Black Entrepreneurs & Businesses of Canada (BEBC) where she serves as its CEO.
She aims to inspire young entrepreneurs, therefore she organized a contest in 2022 in which winners received Ksh 3 million to start their enterprises.
Kasandy recognizes the difficulties of obtaining financial aid as a young entrepreneur and is committed to help others overcome a stumbling block that hampered her career.
“I was having difficulty accessing funding, being viewed by financial institutions and even investors as unfundable because of the system and how it works,” she recounted.
