Philemon Orwa, a 21-year-old student at Maseno University has ventured into the bodaboda business on campus since his first year in school.
 
The second year education student prefers doing the bodaboda business to other businesses which has seen him through.

As the only child in his family, he was born and raised in Nyahera, Kisumu County. He recalls his past life being a tough one and says he had to think outside the box on how he would survive in school owing to the fact that he is an orphan.


He also adds that getting the motorcycle wasn't an easy task.
"I worked and saved 12,000 and also sold the few animals I had", he says.

In total, he sold a cow, 4 goats and 10 hens which he says are his own sweat and did not inherit anything from his parents.
Philemon adds that the total money he had collected could still not get to the amount needed for the motorcycle.

He, therefore, had to seek help from his brothers who topped the money he had to Sh110,000, which was the total amount needed for the motorcycle.

Philemon does his bodaboda business around the school premises commonly known as the 'varsity boda' and says he has moved from scratch.

"Getting the varsity bodaboda number wasn't easy", he recalls.
His first opportunity was after a struggle where one of the students doing the same business got an accident and therefore there had to be a replacement.

According to the varsity bodaboda chairman, students are given 10 chances free with no registration given.

"We would want the youths to be all round even in these institutions "he adds.

Philemon does maths /biology in his course and would prefer borrowing money from friends when life is becoming tough than missing classes because it's demanding. I understand why I am in school, therefore my business is part time", he says.

He also prefers bodaboda business to other businesses because it has ready market, unlike others. In a day he works full time, Philemon earns approximately Sh800 and part time would earn him upto Sh500 which he says is enough to lay something on the table.

He also says other businesses are time-consuming.
According to Philemon, school enables someone to realize his or her potential and it also prepares them for the outside world.

He wishes that everyone could realize their potential so that the vices that surround institutions are minimized.

"A busy mind has no time for drugs", he says.

Despite all these, he says the challenges he faces are critical, especially accidents and health problems which are associated with the business. He also adds that some elderly in their association mistreat them.

"I am passionate about giving back to the society", he says

This is motivated by the fact that he was brought up in the orphanage and he understands better what the orphans go through.Philemon plans to invest in his bodaboda riding to something better which he hasn't settled on.