FRUGAL INNOVATIONS IN KENYA AND EAST AFRICA

It is 4: 51 PM Monday and I receive a phone call. It’s a ladys’ voice so eloquent and with a good pitch,perfect tonal variation , great English….I could go on and on. She is Beverlyn* from the Centre of Frugal Innovation in Kenya.

What does she want? An interview .So we met on Friday morning over tea in the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi.This made me think so much. I had never taken time to reflect on my entrepreneurial journey for the last three years until today.As we talked through our interview deep memories on how I have always pushed through on business ideas weighed me down.Goodness, I have been really stubborn in my quest to provide solutions.

While at Kenyatta University during my undergraduate studies I had this ‘crazy’ idea which I proposed to the management- of course the Vice chancellor then Prof. Olive Mugenda. A communication platform where the management would send important information to students mostly through SMS. I drafted my 5 pages proposal and physically delivered it to her office.

One morning I wore my white shirt and black trousers- the only formal-official clothes I had then. So every Monday morning I would visit that office dressed in my ‘Start up’ uniform to check on the progress.Okay, this never went far- It was discussed by the management and concluded that a student cannot do business with the university.So heart breaking. My reward was a cup of tea and a piece of cake plus a recommendation letter from the Vice chancellor.

Perhaps this was my starting point. But I never really knew that what I was doing had a name. I never knew that there is a whole big revolution around what I was trying to do. I had never heard about ‘start ups’ , ‘boot straps’ , ‘Health tech’ , ‘Pitchdeck’, ‘VC’ and so many others.These I learned later it is-Entrepreneurship.I was just putting my thoughts to the world. I wanted to make a difference and leave a mark. I am so happy this curiosity has never left me.I am grateful that I never got discouraged because I keep raising the bar every time I try something and the outcome is not what I expected.I am unbowed. I am unbroken. I keep on.