After a long struggle, George Odhiambo, 27, finally completed his secondary school education in 2009. But he knew he still had a long way to go to kiss poverty goodbye.
Odhiambo, the fourth born in a family of five siblings, had initially thought his goal to succeed in life had finally ground to halt as his single mother who was the sole bread winner struggled to put food on the table.
He thought he would never be able to step into a classroom again to further his education because of the hard financial times his family was facing.
But a defiant Odhiambo, who resides in Car-wash Estate in Kisumu, refused to let his predicament break him. A few months after completing Form Four, he ventured into business.
Despite having little knowledge about how to prepare foodstuffs, Odhiambo started preparing chapati and beans which he hawked within the estates.
Little did he know that the move would be a game-changer in his quest to be financially independent and at the same time in his pursuit to further his education. “At first, I had doubts about the viability of the business but as time went by, I started saving every little coin I could save,” says Odhiambo.
A few months into the business, he had saved Sh13,000 and decided to venture into another business, this time poultry rearing.
A great lover of poultry, Odhiambo says his sister came to his aid and gave him Sh5,000 to help him start up his business.
He used part of the money to pay part of his school fees after joining KCA University to pursue a career in accountancy.
The poultry business, which he started with 50 chicken, quickly picked up and the business enthusiast was able to make more savings and within months he became the family’s bread winner, supplementing the little income his mother got from her small business ventures.
“My mother only paid my admission fees and since then, I have been paying my school fees using the money I get from the chicken business,” said Odhiambo. Today, he has over 500 chickens and has won the hearts of many top hoteliers in Kisumu, who have become his key clients.
He says he makes up to Sh35,000 in a good month from selling chickens and has even been able to purchase a parcel of land from the proceeds, which he intends use to expand his business.
“Life has not been easy for me in this business, but I have refused to give up,” he says.
Finding a market, he says, was his toughest challenge when he first ventured into the business. But with time, he was able to establish a wide network of clients who are playing a vital role in the growth of his business.
“My lowest moment was when I had bought chickens from Uganda and a disease called Newcastle killed all of them right before my face,” he said.
Odhiambo also pays school fees for his younger siblings.
“Let us be patient in everything we are doing. If we are persistent, sooner or later, we shall reap the fruits of our labour,” he says.