Jane Wamuyu, a single mother of three, owns and operates Best Mitumba Bales.
The soft-spoken entrepreneur was born into a family of five in a small community called Mai Mahiu in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
Wamuyu revealed that after their parents died, her eldest sister and brother cared for her starting at the age of twelve.
“I don’t remember when I lost my father, but my mother died when I was twelve. Life was difficult because the only people I was meant to live with were my eldest siblings
“My sister was married at the time, and they had to determine who I would live with. My sister took my younger brother, while I stayed with my older brother,” she explained.
Despite the hurdles, Wamuyu completed her secondary education and enrolled in a college in Thika. Her siblings were unable to rent a hostel for her, so she was forced to live with a caregiver and her late mother’s rental houses.
Wamuyu described how she faced problems that compelled her to impress the woman in order to obtain food and other necessities.
She was also abused by the woman’s son, which led to sadness because she was unable to share her experiences with anyone.
Nonetheless, she finished school and eventually gained an attachment with a shylock, working from Embu. However, Wamuyu was caught in the middle of a potentially fatal confrontation when an irritated client walked into the office carrying a machete.
“That is how I lost my internship; I couldn’t wait because such occurrences could result in death. I left and moved into my sister’s home,” she recalled.
Wamuyu noticed that while visiting her sister in Githurai, she began selling tea and mandazis to local shops.
The employment was not sustainable because they were paid on commission, so she departed and eventually obtained a sales job at Nice and Lovely company.
During the process, a technician who used to service the machines at her workplace volunteered to introduce her to his supervisor.
It was then that Wamuyu got her first permanent job. She worked as the director’s secretary. She met her husband while working at the company, and as a result, she was forced to resign from her job because they both worked there.
She became pregnant, and without a job or a source of income, she began looking for work again.
Wamuyu got a job at a local hairdresser before quitting and selling belts around town, followed by second-hand trench coats.
At the same time, her husband had lost his accounting position, and they had three children to raise.
While working in a shop Wamuyu met a friend in Nairobi’s central business district who wanted to start a mitumba business.
They closed the shop and traveled to Gikomba, where they purchased some merchandise with the assistance of her in-laws. A friend opened a business in Gikomba and hired Wamuyu to be the shop attendant.
While working at the shop, she would meet others who were interested in starting a mitumba business.
Wamuyu established himself on social media, and as a result of the traction generated by her online activities, she founded Best Mitumba Bales.
Her supervisor eventually lost interest in the mitumba business, prompting her to take over.
Wamuyu obtained a loan from Stanbic Bank and used it to purchase her own stock, which she then sold together with her friend’s remaining stake.
She currently operates two other stores in Gikomba Market and Buruburu.
Wamuyu received the Founder of the Year Africa Award (FOYA) in 2021, competing against nominees from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria and South Africa.
She emerged victorious following a rigorous procedure that included 30 entrepreneurs from eight nations, public vote and adjudication by an Executive vote Panel.
