Brick business is not as popular as other businesses in Kenya, but Orina, who comes from Sironga,a remote village in Kisii,managed to make over Ksh 5 million from the business. The entrepreneur shares his story.
“I am a graduate of Kenyatta University. I pursued a degree in Education and completed my studies in 2010.That was the time I decided to live in Nairobi and seek greener pastures.
In 2011, one year after graduation, I found myself on cross roads. After I tried hard, dropping my CV from one office to the other, I ended up being frustrated. Jobs were hard to find and life became unbearable. I wasn’t able to pay my rent and I decided to move to the village.
Immediately I arrived in Sironga,I got a shock of my life. My age mates who had dropped out of school, others after KCSE were driving good cars; they had started families and were even running business empires. Here I was, a graduate with several academic papers but nothing to show for it.I had a week of sleepless nights, trying to figure out how I could make ends meet.
After I shed off my boastful attitude, I resolved to put on my boots and do what my peers were doing. In December 2012,I decided to start brick making business.
In Sironga, brick making was the main economic activity, and as they say, if you can’t beat them join them.
I looked for 3 people to do the job for me and to show me how the work is done. It took me one week to know everything about bricks and what the work entails.With time, I relieved two people and I remained with one. This is the person we are working with till now.
My first coin came after 3 months, when I roasted 5,000 bricks and made Ksh 50,000.This money wasn’t easy to come because I didn’t know the market well, but after looking for ready customers, I was able to sell subsequent bricks faster than the first batch.
Since 2012,I have sold bricks totaling to Ksh 5 million in cash. It’s laughable that I even forgot I went to school, I don’t even know where I put my academic certificate.
Conclusion: what I will advise my fellow graduate is not to choose work. I know you’d want to have your own office where you can swing in a seat, but a white collar job is deceiving. If you spot an opportunity, exploit it”