Entrepreneurship has in recent times become the buzz word not just globally but here in Kenya more so following the Global Entrepreneurship Summit that was held in Nairobi in the Month of July this year and officially opened by the US President Barack Obama.
However, aside from the glitz and the glamour of appearing at forums, meet-ups and startup competitions and introducing oneself as an entrepreneur or giving talks on ones journey of numerous failures before the ultimate success, entrepreneurship only sounds appealing when the individual is able to triumph over all the many challenges to become what most would term as a successful entrepreneur.
The story of all the successful Kenyan women entrepreneurs is yet to be told in its entirety due to ‘the usual’ names always appearing in every publication. We are not in any way downplaying the efforts of women like Tabitha Karanja, Esther Passaris and Njeri Rionge among others who appear on every mainstream publication or any article about women in Entrepreneurship in Kenya.
We therefore decided to give you a list of 10 women who despite their achievements in starting and running successful business and companies, rarely get known or spoken of. Some of those on the list have ventured into male dominated careers and despite all those odds, managed to carve a niche for themselves.
1. Rebecca Wanjiku
Many who know of Wanjiku or Becky as her friends in the tech space call her only know her as a tech writer who runs wanjiku.co.ke. What most don’t know is that Wanjiku is the founder and CEO of Fireside Communications, a company that is manages end-to-end installation processes, delivering fully integrated communication solutions. She founded the company in 2008.
2. Linet Kwamboka
Linet is the founder and CEO of Data Science Ltd a Data Analysis and Research Company established in Kenya to focus on providing services to the local private and public (Enterprise, Government and CSO/NGO) business space in understanding and using available and new data to gain insights for better planning, resource allocation and profits making.
Linet has been on the forefront of coordinating the Kenya Open Data Initiative and the Open Government Partnership for the Government of Kenya and the World Bank. She has also been a Software Engineer with Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University. Linet holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from the University of Nairobi, and is self-taught in geographic information systems (GIS), data analysis, and mining. She has been recognized as an unsung hero by the American Embassy in Kenya for her efforts to encourage more women to work in technology and computer science.
3. Amanda Gicharu-Kemoli
Amanda wears many hats, she is Co-Founder & Program Director Tech Republic Africa. She is also a marketer turned chef and nutritionist. With no formal culinary training, she is the reigning Champion of the national Royco Fuata Flava cooking contest. Founded by Amanda Gicharu and Arnold Kemoli, Tech Republic Africa’s mission is to ensure that students in every school have the opportunity to learn computer science and Science Tech Engineering and Math (STEM).
4. Wanjiru Waweru Waithaka (Ciru)
After 11 years running Amber Africa and Dawn of Creation, Wanjiru who is a trained interior architecture from The Glasgow School of Art, University of Glasgow in Scotland, realised the need to create the first children’s brand from Africa. Funkidz was started almost four years ago and is currently selling in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.The company has employed over 20 people, with a factory in Kikuyu and offices in Westlands. She also developed an educational super-hero robot.
Funkidz is a design and innovative house specialising in a wide range of furniture designs for children from ages 0-16.
5. Suzie Wokabi
Suzie Wokabi, an International Relations degree holder is the founder and CEO of Suzie Beauty cosmetic company. Suzie came back to Kenya in 2007 to pursue her passion and create her authentic, affordable, high-quality African make-up brand.
This revolutionary line is Kenya’s first make-up/ beauty brand and a global trailblazer in creating a bespoke product for the African woman, by an African woman. Soon after graduating from University in the U.S, Suzie dove right into the fashion industry. She was trained by MAC Cosmetics and completed an intensive Media Make-up certificate course at the Award Studio Make-up School in Los Angeles.
She worked in New York within the fashion and beauty industries from 2001 until 2007, when she returned to her hometown of Nairobi, Kenya. Suzie is now one of the top local make-up artists whose extensive industry experience runs the full gamut from Print Media to Television, Film, Video, Commercials, Runway, and Bridal. She began creating her make-up/ beauty brand in early 2009 and officially launched it in December 2011.
6. Katungulu Mwendwa
Katungulu Mwendwa, one of Kenya’s most respected fashion designers, has been listed as one of the top African designers to watch in 2015. Katungulu Mwendwa the brand was started by the Kenyan born and raised designer Katungulu Mwendwa herself. It is a Made in Kenya brand, designing for a woman who wants modern, functional, considered design. Katungulu Mwendwa designs timeless, stylish casual, work and formal wear that extends beyond any season. The brand experiments with modern techniques, innovative fabrics and traditional methods.The Katungulu Mwendwa goal is to create quality design considered clothing by working solely with fine materials and paying close attention to detail for each item.Borrowing cues from traditional African cultures across the continent, subtle nuances are reflected through her work. The current collection “People of the Taboo” is inspired by the Wodaabe men of Northern Africa during the Geerwol festival.
7. Mary Mwangi
Mary Mwangi, is the owner of Double M Group of Companies that includes Express Connections Limited – a public transport service company and Two M Autotech – a body fabricating company. Mary who quit her job as an accounts clerical job with the National Hospital Insurance Fund {NHIF} to engage in a business under the tight control of a few hoodlums, has her knack and stubborn desire for business to thank for what is ostensibly Nairobi’s most successful public transport system. Today the company employs over 200 people and runs a fleet of 61 buses. Double M’s colorful minibuses are an eye catcher across the city. In an industry plagued by hijackings, lack of cleanliness, and disrespect for customers, Double M has acquired a reputation for professionalism and excellent customer service.
8. Winnie Gitau
Winnie Gitau discovered her passion for healthy living after stints at a law practice, in the insurance industry,and running a successful consulting company with her husband. She is the founder and president of Pure Health Products, a company that produces, packages and sells health products such as herbal teas, brown rice, or honey. After studying wellness in the USA and taking courses in India, Winnie started Pure Health ‘by telling people how to be healthy and mixing things in the kitchen.” According to Winnie, “At first people were saying, “Winnie you are crazy. Who is going to eat healthy foods?’ But it was apparent the market was ready.” So she started packaging and selling her products.
Pure Health today is a corporate social responsibility organization that hires needy people and women from slums. The company has a ‘children’s corner’ with free childcare for its 73 employees, offers free education on healthy nutrition, gives 10 percent of company profits to its employees, and ensures that its products are grown in an environmentally sustainable manner.
9. Elizabeth Thande
Elizabeth experimented first with dairy and food crops in the early 1980s before switching to horticulture due to higher profit margins. She is now the managing director of Wet Farm Ltd, a flower farm situated on 28 acres of family land that specializes in the production of cut flowers, including Arabicum and Gladiolus varieties. Elizabeth sells her varieties mainly at flower auctions in Holland and at a few direct markets in the UK, France, and the Middle East.
About three quarters of her 80 employees are women because according to her; “Women in the flower industry are very important. They are the best graders and better at weeding. The agriculture industry in Kenya is the women’s industry,”
10. Catherine Mahugu
Catherine is the co-founder of SasaAfrica that empowers craftswomen by linking them with a market for their products. They do this online via shopsoko.com.
She is a graduate from University of Nairobi with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. She has been involved in various ICT for Development projects including Stanford University’s Nokia Africa Research Center Design Project building mobile applications targeting informal communities.