Impact Masters Podcast
We focus on the tech ecosystem by creating and disseminating knowledge. We tell authentic stories, acknowledging and preserving history, embracing civilization, and encouraging technology and innovation. In all this, we point out the impact and the actionable points. At Impact Masters we are disrupting the status quo: Body, Mind, and Spirit.
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Impact Masters Podcast
#54 IMPACT MASTER CATHERLINE MIROBE: ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TO SOFTWARE ENGINEER
What does it take for a woman to succeed in Africa's male-dominated tech world? Catherline Mirobe's story shows us exactly that - through determination, skill, and an entrepreneurial spirit that refuses to quit.
Growing up between Nairobi and Kisii, Catherline Mirobe transformed from a struggling student to an academic standout, even changing her name to boost her confidence. With her father's guidance - an engineering consultant who repeatedly warned her "no one will give you a job" - she developed an entrepreneurial mindset early. While pursuing her electrical engineering degree at JKUAT, she launched a cake baking business from her tiny apartment, eventually expanding it with her mother's help and saving 200,000 KSH to fund future ventures.
Tragedy struck when her father passed away just before graduation, but Catherline persevered. Combining her engineering expertise with software development skills from Moringa School, she established her own tech business focusing on IoT solutions. Her impressive portfolio includes automated stadium locks, a 360° photo booth built at a quarter of import prices, and an innovative social distancing system for public vehicles. Through TikTok, she's built a following of thousands by authentically showcasing her projects while breaking stereotypes about women in tech.
Beyond creating solutions, Catherline is nurturing the next generation - teaching coding to children using Scratch programming and mentoring students from Tanzania. Her journey proves that with determination and the right mindset, African women can thrive in tech entrepreneurship. As she says, "Just try. You may fail at first, but just try. This field isn't meant only for men." Follow Caterline's inspiring work and discover how you too can turn technical skills into entrepreneurial success.
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Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Welcome once again this Impact Masters podcast, in collaboration with Africa's Talking Podcasts. It's a beautiful day, once again the day of the Lord. I'm your host, michael Kemadi, coming to you direct. Before we start, I want to tell you about Africa Stalking. Check outricastalkingcom. We provide communication solution for developers. You have voice, mobile, sms, ssd and airtime APIs. Businesses looking to expand and empower your business across Africa Africa'salking is the place to be. Nice, today we have a wonderful guest.
Speaker 2:Yes, an electrical and electronics engineer by profession, and she comes from Jamaica. For those who know Jamaica, you know I'm talking about Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology A graduate. Yes, she's a dedicated software developer with a strong foundation in electrical and electronics engineering, holding a bachelor's degree in the field. Her professional journey has been marked by a passion for cutting-edge technology, particularly in the realm of Internet of Things IoT, for those who know the fuse of software and hardware and she has successfully completed over five impactful projects. Alongside this, she has crafted more than five dynamic websites, showcasing proficiency in HTML, css, css, javascripts and all. So, without preempting, let's get into it. And uh, here from kathleen, kathleen, mirobe nyanduko. Yeah, she'll tell us why nyanduko is in, you know, maybe it's a family name, I don't know. So, hi, kathleen, hi, how are you? Yeah, I don't know if it's kath name, I don't know so hi, kathleen, hi, how are you?
Speaker 2:I don't know if it's Kathleen or Kathleen.
Speaker 3:Actually it's supposed to be Kathleen, but now the person who wrote my birth certificate, the first they messed you up. Yeah, they decided just to mess me up.
Speaker 2:They were not sure if it should be R or L.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so they used both letters.
Speaker 2:Following each other. That's very interesting, yeah.
Speaker 3:So my name became Kathaline.
Speaker 2:Ah, it's supposed to be Katharine.
Speaker 3:It's supposed to be Katharine.
Speaker 2:Very nice, very nice. Yeah, my name is Michael Kimathi. You can call me MK if you want. I'm your host for this podcast and I would love to, you know, have a chat with Catherine. Catherine, actually, this is a background of how we know each other. So I'm on TikTok, as Gen Zs love it, and I'm checking out, like how can we use this tool to engage developers, and one of the things that I searched there is Africa Stalking. We had just done our summit and I wanted to check the video engagement on TikTok versus YouTube, versus Facebook, versus Twitter. And the third video I see is Kathleen talking about Africa Stalking and how she's using it to set up some interesting projects that she'll be sharing all along and, interestingly, she was actually setting this software on a garage. If you guys know how engineers work, there is a I don't know is it called a heater the one that blows the aluminium off.
Speaker 3:Soldering iron yeah.
Speaker 2:Soldering iron and other things, as you know, as an engineer's table, and she's here programming, telling things, as you know, as an engineer, stable, and she's here programming telling guys check out Africa Stalking. I'm using Africa Stalking. I have to set it up. I was so impressed because that conversation or that video on TikTok was quite authentic as well, as it had over 100,000, by the last time I checked, 100,000 views.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And for a moment I thought how many other engineers have seen this work through you, and that's why I was interested to hear more about you. Now, later on off the mic, I meet her. She's quite stunning for those who see the video. Very beautiful lady and with so much actually to give in terms of mentorship, in terms of how she views life, entrepreneurship, employment, and we're going to highlight all of that Without further ado. Catherine, where did you start? Where did everything about Catherine start?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, as you've said, my name is Catherine Catherine Mirobe. I'm a software developer. I also have a background in electrical and electronics engineering.
Speaker 2:Very nice.
Speaker 3:So I'm interested in IoT. So I've done a couple of projects. I've used Africa Stalking, I've done projects with USSD SMS Airtime, and so I love the platform.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but we'll get there. We'll get there to the Africa Stalking.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And how you have used it, what you have used it to and how even you discovered it. Yeah, and why Africa Stalking?
Speaker 3:But where were you born? I'm a Kisi, my dad is a Kisi, my mom is a Kisi. Yes so. I'm a full Kisi. Our home is South Mogirango constituency. Our MP is the loud one.
Speaker 2:Which one is that?
Speaker 3:Osoro, silvanus Osoro.
Speaker 2:You guys vote, young guys we like young people. And as much as he's louder here. He has a lot of projects going on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's good.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So that's my home. Then I came to juja for school yeah I've also studied in rift valley. I've studied in nakuru st clear girls in high school, but most of my life I've spent in kiambu county. That is juja. Ah yeah. So when you say most of your life is that high school is that, primary school is that?
Speaker 2:life I've spent in Kiambu County. That is Juju, ah yeah. So when you say most of your life is that? High school, is that? Primary school, is that?
Speaker 3:university, university, university, yeah, university.
Speaker 2:But I would like us to go a bit back. So you said primary school, you went to which primary school?
Speaker 3:Primary school I went to a school in Nyamira County called St Andrew Girls Kagwa. There I studied from class 4 to class 8.
Speaker 2:So that was boarding.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but in my primary school.
Speaker 2:I was here in Nairobi. Ngumo Estate. Oh, Ngumo Estate.
Speaker 3:Yeah, then I went back to Kisii. I studied primary in St Andrews, kagwa.
Speaker 2:That is from which class.
Speaker 3:From class 4 to 8 now so from nursery to class 4. Class 4 I was here in Nairobi In Gumo yeah.
Speaker 2:And how was that life like for a young girl?
Speaker 3:It was good, but I can't say it was the best, because now I was away from my parents, so the life was not that easy. So because of those difficulties in taking care of me and all that.
Speaker 2:I had to go back to my parents, so your parents were not in Nairobi.
Speaker 3:Yeah, my parents were not in Nairobi. I was living with my relatives.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, I see.
Speaker 3:From their viewpoint, they felt like Nairobi was a good place to study, especially to start my foundation. But when I came to Nairobi, taking care of me especially with the relatives became a bit tricky, so they had to take me back.
Speaker 2:And when you went back home, you felt like now I'm okay. Yeah, and when you went back home you felt like now I'm okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, when I went back home I was more close with my parents now, so they opted to take me to a boarding school.
Speaker 2:Again away from home.
Speaker 3:Yeah, away from home but it was closer.
Speaker 2:Is that around Kisii?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's around Kisii. St Andrew Kagwa is in Nyamira County.
Speaker 2:So let me ask you for Nairobi in Gumo I know Gumo is just neighboring Kibira, if I'm not wrong and this is a young girl, not more than even 12 years.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And was this just going day, schooling or boarding?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was day school. So because it was day school, I had to be taken to school in the morning and come back in the evening. Okay, so that commuting was not easy for my aunties because my auntie was coming back to Kisii so it became hard to take care of me. I was living with my uncle most of the time and my uncle was going out to look for a job.
Speaker 3:So taking care of me became really hard because I was a day scholar and I'm still young, I don't know how to take care of myself, to take a bath, and at that time I became sick.
Speaker 2:Oh, was it stress or just sick? Yeah, just sick, normal sick, and I was also an active person.
Speaker 3:So I got an injury, I hurt my hand so it became really difficult to take care of me, because now I don't have my arms. I'm sick.
Speaker 2:And you're a young kid.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm a young kid. My aunt is not around most of the time and my uncle has to go for a job, so it became difficult and I had to go back home.
Speaker 2:It sounds like even you're also stressed, because now he is your uncle.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was a bit stressed.
Speaker 2:So does it mean that that affected your education a bit?
Speaker 3:My performance was not all that good. Actually my real name was Magdalene, the initial name. My initial name was Magdalene.
Speaker 2:The initial name.
Speaker 3:My initial name was Magdalene, and when I was going to nursery, the girl who was stopping in our class was called Catherine.
Speaker 2:This is interesting. That is now in Ngumo.
Speaker 3:In Ngumo yeah.
Speaker 2:So you had to change your name to perform well.
Speaker 3:So I used to be punished every day. I had a really big problem with spelling. I used to perform in math, but when it comes to spelling and because I was from Kisii, I did not know even Kiswa Ili.
Speaker 3:Oh, it was really hard for you to have spoken Swahili, it was really hard for me to integrate with other children because I was only speaking my mother tongue so I was really not performing good. I was always bottom five. Because of that humiliation, I felt like I wanted to be the top kid. So I went on all my books, I rubbed my name and I wrote it Catherine.
Speaker 2:But you said earlier on that the person who wrote your birth certificate is the one who messed your spelling.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I remember, maybe back in the day, people did not get birth certificate immediately they were born.
Speaker 3:My birth certificate was written when I was going to register for my class eight.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, so.
Speaker 3:I had not gotten yet my birth certificate.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just clarifying that for those who listen to this and they're like okay me, I got my birth certificate when I was born, oh, yeah, so, okay, yeah, long time ago, not so long, maybe guys used to get birth certificate when they were registering to the government.
Speaker 3:Most of the people actually did that when they were doing their. Kcp yeah, kcp yeah, yeah, when they were doing their KCP, their KCP yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just to clarify, for maybe 50 years to come. Yeah, yeah, so you changed your name to Catherine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I rubbed all my books. I changed my name to Catherine. So when my uncle informed my dad that I've changed my name, they tried to you know? Tell me you know, magdalene is the name of your grandmother because, my grandmother was called Magdalene Nyanduko, so you were namesake, yeah. But I did not like the name because I felt like it's the cause of my low performance.
Speaker 2:And after changing, did it actually affect your confidence morale?
Speaker 3:I think I became more confident. But I did not stay long to prove my point Because immediately I think after one year I went back to Kisii. But now in Kisii, when I joined class four, my performance was not that good. So when I went to class four my dad talked to the teacher and told him I don't have a good background, especially in education. So I started performing with that close supervision from my teachers. So by the time I'm in class six, that is when I started becoming top, ten, top five, so it took you two years to really catch up.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it took me some time. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And by class 7?.
Speaker 3:Yeah, by class 7, I was doing good, I used to perform, I used to get 400. My dad could buy me a bike. Wow. Ironically, when I was told to choose a present, I don't think I ever chose any girly present. I used to say I want a bike.
Speaker 2:I used to say I want a bike, anything, anything mechanical so I have like three bikes.
Speaker 3:Even now I have a bike which were presents from your dad for now, because I felt I love, I love that lifestyle. For now I I bought a bike that I used.
Speaker 2:To commute.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I used. I use it to commute from my home to my workshop. Wow, okay.
Speaker 2:Your story is getting interesting, so you go to Kisii.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you catch up in two years and your performance is looking good as you go on. And number one you already changed your name and your parents could not do anything about it. They accepted the result but of course this makes you feel like you know, if Kathering was top number one or top in the class, then also this Kathering will also be top in the class, then also this gathering will also be top of the class. Do you get to top your class before you finish your primary school?
Speaker 3:By the time I'm finishing my primary school, I don't remember becoming number one, but I used to top like top five because we were around. We were around 120 students, so becoming top five was really a big deal for me. But I never became number one but I really, comparing my performance back then and now, it was a really big improvement and now this school was back in Kisii and here in Nairobi English and Swahili was a problem. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So when you go there you feel at home because there are a few guys, even if not all, who actually you can relate with.
Speaker 3:So what happened is when I was coming from Kisii to Nairobi, I did not know any language except Kisii. Yes. But now, when I was going back from Nairobi to Kisii, I did not know any Kisii, so I was now Confused. My Kisii had become.
Speaker 2:Not so good Not so good.
Speaker 3:I knew Kiswa Ili. Yes. But now, when I was going into boarding, of course we used Kiswa, ili and English so it was easier, but my KISI was not that good.
Speaker 2:That's quite interesting. Do you think this actually had an impact in your life in terms of education-wise?
Speaker 3:I think it did because I was in a better school, better surveillance, because my dad used to come. They check on my performance, they know my teachers, so my performance really became quite good and you felt like there was that support from your parents. Because I used to even go for tuition, they used to pay extra money for me to study.
Speaker 2:Interesting. They used to pay extra money for me to study. Yeah, interesting. So you do your KCP. Yeah, in between, is there any memorable event that happened besides what you have mentioned in your primary school?
Speaker 3:I was good in athletics, I think so you loved running football handball basketball loved running football, basketball Mostly running short races. When I was in primary, I was the captain for games, so I used to perform really good.
Speaker 2:The boarding what's the name of the boarding? Again?
Speaker 3:St Andrew.
Speaker 2:Kagwa.
Speaker 3:So I was really good in athletics. So I can say that was my highlight, because I was doing both good in class and I was really active.
Speaker 2:Did you proceed to like provincials or nationals?
Speaker 3:My dad was against me going anywhere further that I have to miss school for like a week. So I could proceed to maybe provincial level. But if I proceed to another level that requires me to go go, like say, mombasa and stay there for one week. My dad was against that.
Speaker 2:Very nice. So you know your dad is a pillar from the construction that we had earlier. Yeah, and so how many are you in your family?
Speaker 3:We are four, four yeah.
Speaker 2:And you're the first one.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm the first born and I'm the only girl. The only girl. The others are boys.
Speaker 2:You must be the most favorite to all the boys in the house. They don't have a choice. How did your mother perceive that?
Speaker 3:I don't think we are that close with my mom, but I think he's okay.
Speaker 2:She's okay. Okay, so you do your KCP. How did you perform?
Speaker 3:I got 377. Then I was called to St Clair Girls.
Speaker 2:Where is St Clair?
Speaker 3:It's in El Bargon.
Speaker 2:That is Rift Valley.
Speaker 3:That is Nakuru.
Speaker 2:How was that shift for you?
Speaker 3:It was nice because now I get to change an environment, because in Kisii I was surrounded by mostly Kisii students, but now in high school there is that diversity, so I got to interact with other cultures and I think that move was good for me Because now I was able to merge with other students.
Speaker 2:So your first year? Is it a mixed, or it was a girl's?
Speaker 3:school, and a Catholic one.
Speaker 2:My dad was very strict, so he was happy that you went to St Clair.
Speaker 3:Because even St Andrews is a Catholic.
Speaker 2:So this was not like you were called into it, or?
Speaker 3:I was called. The school that I was called to was called Menyenya.
Speaker 2:Menyenya, menyenya, that's still in Kisii.
Speaker 3:It was in Kisii, but it was not a good performing school.
Speaker 2:What does Menyenya mean? Because that's a Kisii name.
Speaker 3:Honestly, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I would love to hear what it means.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:I'll ask my Kisii friends what Menyanya means. Kaka remind me Menyanya yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so they looked for a school for me. The first school I got was in this school in Kajiado. I don't remember the name, but that school was also not good in performance. So they looked for another school, and now I went to St Clair.
Speaker 2:So your first day in St Clair, you were mono. They called you mono, isn't it I? Don't know if that was the case for your high school. Mono means one.
Speaker 3:Mono means one, but I did not report there on the first day.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:After my class 8, I told you I was called to Menyenya. But I did not go to Menyenya but they looked for a school in Kajiado, so I went to that school, stayed there for around one month as they were still searching for other schools. So then I got a letter to report to St Clair.
Speaker 2:So when I was going to St Clair At least Monos were a bit older in that school.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I found that they have studied like a month already. So it was really hard for me the first term, but there was some bit of encouragement because by the time I entered I knew I'm behind studies. So you were catching up yeah so I had to catch up and by the end of first year, by the end of that form one, I was actually one of the top students in that school.
Speaker 2:Wow, that is now that term from one.
Speaker 3:that term you were number one or two in my stream I was number one, but overall year was number two wow, that's just impressive, but the first time I was really poor. I think I became my number 30 okay out of out of they were around 112 students did get discouraged.
Speaker 2:How do you feel about it?
Speaker 3:Okay, At that time I understood, because when I got into the school they had already studied like for one month.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So I had a lot of catching yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay. So this is very interesting because even in my life actually I share in some of your intricacies when you have to play catch up, where you go to another school you find like, oh you know, people are way ahead and sometimes you feel like even that catch up is not really catching up, because you have to do a lot of, because for me it took me three terms.
Speaker 3:I caught up with them on the third term of Form 1.
Speaker 2:And did you have support of the tuition?
Speaker 3:Yeah, there was support, but again, because my foundation with linguistic was not good, so I was really performing bad in Kisweili and English. So you might find that I'm getting 19 months and all the subjects but English and Kisweili I can even get a D. So my dad knew that I'm not good in English, so after every term he used to look for a teacher who could mentor me in English and Kiswahili. So, yeah, I raised my performance in those subjects. Now I was competing with others.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the rest is history, as you say.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Up to form four. You were always top.
Speaker 3:Okay, you can't be top every day, but I was among the top students and again, I was good in athletics.
Speaker 2:So that means you're competitive.
Speaker 3:I was good in athletics, so that means you're competitive. I was very competitive because even my principal used to allow me to go to these events for games, because she knew, even if I go for these games, I'll still catch up with class.
Speaker 2:Nice. So I know in high school that's where ladies and adolescents kicked in. You start going for games. Some guys you know ladies, adolescents kicks in, start going for. You know you are going for games. Some guys go for drama music festival.
Speaker 3:Even this math contest. Actually, there is one I won.
Speaker 2:Oh, math contest in Rift Valley, or just your?
Speaker 3:We were competition where other schools come and compete for math contest, and that particular math contest was in Marymount Girls.
Speaker 2:Still in Rift Valley.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's in Rift Valley, but we had schools from Kisii coming, schools from other provinces coming and in the girls category I was the first runner up. Wow. Yeah, we got a scholarship for CPA, but after Form 4, I was not interested.
Speaker 2:That is in KCA CPA. Where would you do it? Is it KCA?
Speaker 3:I don't remember the university, but they had given us scholarships and funds.
Speaker 2:That's present here. Funds, yeah. So which kind of fund did you get at that?
Speaker 3:point I got a Samsung, wow yeah. So which kind of?
Speaker 2:phone did you get? At that point I got a Samsung. Wow, yeah, interesting. Which math context did I participate in? Because I was really good in math also and I also went for math context. I think I went to the wrong ones.
Speaker 3:Kabarak.
Speaker 2:Mine was in Eastern Province.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we used to go mostly for Kabarak. Sometimes we go for Marymount Other times. But schools around Rift Valley.
Speaker 2:No, I'm saying for me. I feel cheated If there were no funds to be won, there's no CPA scholarship. I think I went for the wrong scholarships. No scholarship, but math context Ours. We went to ECO Boys. I don't know if you've ever heard of it. I think it's now maybe national or something. It's in Eastern province, just past Chuka is it past Chuka or before Chuka? Actually, okay, if you're coming from Nairobi, it's just before Chuka, it's? You know, in a place he called it an IKUU.
Speaker 2:You know, we say something different with what people think yeah and I don't remember any gifts, but I remember a lot of girls school participating, which was exciting for young boys, especially Kenny girls. I don't know if you've ever heard of Kenny girls. It's in Embu, I think. Okay, these are sideu. I think okay, these are side notes. I think those guys we used to think the first criteria for you to qualify to go to Kenny Girls, kenny Girls shout out to you guys, you kept us awakened with big dreams. You have to be very beautiful, because out of 10 girls maybe one was average, but nine were like. Which one should I choose? So that's one thing I can remember about math context, because if you go there you'll meet them. Because Iko is close to Embu, yeah. And for those who are hearing us saying Rift Valley, before there were no counties, so it used to be provinces.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you're not that old anyway, I may make you sound like you're old, but before there were eight provinces. One of them was Rift Valley. There was Coast, there was Eastern Province there was Nyanza.
Speaker 2:There's Central, there's Western and there's Northeastern and I think that's it. Yeah, I think that's it, yeah, I think that's basically it. So that's why when you hear me say eastern, it's towards Meru, embu County I think also Isiolo County was part of that, and then Machakos, and then I think towards I think Trukano was part of that. So it was one stream of counties so that just people don't hear saying, oh, rift Valley, then they get confused. So you get to, in math context, you win and you get a Samsung and you get invited to CPA. So I know KCA University used to offer still offers CPA, which is a certified public, and you get invited to CPA. So I know KCA University used to offer still offers CPA, which is a Certified Public Accountant.
Speaker 2:Certificate and I know most of my friends who joined campus most of them actually on the side they did CPA, because CPA is quite on demand. I don't know if it is nowadays, but it used to be. But we never followed through. So why Were you too busy with life?
Speaker 3:By that time. I think I used to follow so much what my dad was telling me, so at that time he advised me that it's not something which can at that time add value to me looking at what I was interested in, so he felt like that time, instead of joining that course, why not do something that I'm interested in?
Speaker 2:Which is engineering. Yeah, and your dad is quite impactful in your life, even from our previous discussion. Yeah, he shaped you to who you are.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Would you like to you know, go into details, and it's your late dad, so yeah.
Speaker 3:So my dad was also an engineer? Yes, he was a consultant. Yeah.
Speaker 3:He had an office at Kisi Kisitown, so most of the discussion I used to, I think, meant to me a lot. And even when I was studying he used to tell me just study, but know that no one is going to give you a job. So you go to school, know how you'll use your knowledge to get whatever you want. Yeah, so everything that I was doing was more into how can this help me to get to do what I want or to get even money?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you took that advice. And you said you're also private with a consulting business. You could see how he does business.
Speaker 3:Even when he was being given those contracts, he used to call me, show me the contracts and tell me you see the qualifications 10 years experience, you have to have a master's. So that's where he got the idea of you just finish your master's Not like you finish to get a job or a promotion, but it will help you in securing these big contracts and all that. So I used to see all those, yeah, so it was kind of motivating for me, because now it's not like I'm hearing.
Speaker 2:I'm seeing them, yeah, and that's what I call apprenticeship. That's not like I'm hearing of those things. I'm seeing them, yeah, and that's what I call apprenticeship. That's not mentorship, it's apprenticeship. You're seeing what is being done on the ground.
Speaker 3:Even when he was going to his work, my brother. He wanted my smaller brother who is now doing civil. He's graduating in civil. He wanted him to do the water survey. So he used to go with him to do the work, so my brother knows how to survey. It's just that he doesn't have the certificates to take on projects. But he taught him how to get water, how to use the machines, how to write reports.
Speaker 2:This is digging boreholes and then find the place where the water is.
Speaker 3:Yeah, when you're writing your report you have to have the name, signature and all that. So he taught him the business part and also how to do the work. So, his plan with my brother was to get him into that, but unfortunately he went he passed on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and by the way he passed on, okay, we'll get there. He passed on when you were graduating, so we'll get to that part. So you do your KCSE, but in mind have you settled that I'll do engineering.
Speaker 3:I knew I wanted to do an engineering course, but at that time I did not know which particular engineering course that I will do, so we sat with him after getting With who? With my dad. So after I got the results, we sat with him.
Speaker 2:What result did you get? I got an A A-. Yeah, we sat with him, we looked. Result did you get I?
Speaker 3:got an A A-. Yeah, we sat with him, we looked at my performances and also my interests, and we also searched for the courses that I can do that are more skillful, that I can do as I can employ myself rather than you know, get employed yeah. Because he felt like he doesn't want us to get employed. He hated it. He used to call us meetings every day to tell us to remind you not to be employed. To remind us you study, but no one is going to give you an employment.
Speaker 2:But it's the reality of the market right now. And even then, I think when I say right now, it sounds like when you guys had these meetings a long time ago, but it's not.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we discussed, we chose the course and I was called to Jake Pat now to do electrocardiogram. But when?
Speaker 2:you choose your courses before you do your KCSE. By that time you had another discussion with him on choices that you make.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And what was your first choices?
Speaker 3:My first choice. I remember I chose, but I used to hate biology so I did not choose any course to do with health. So I chose quantity survey. I chose how is it called? The one for drawing. Ah, architecture, Architecture yeah, I also chose electrical and electronics.
Speaker 2:So electrical and electronics was your third choice.
Speaker 3:Yeah, my second. I think my second my first choice was civil, civil.
Speaker 2:Civil engineering yeah.
Speaker 3:Us not civil, the drawing one Architecture.
Speaker 2:Yeah, which university, duke, duke, yeah, which university.
Speaker 3:TUC.
Speaker 2:TUC, yeah, and for electrical and electronics.
Speaker 3:I chose.
Speaker 2:J-Quad and the other one architecture.
Speaker 3:I think quantity survey.
Speaker 2:Quantity survey yes, I chose TUC. Tuc. Oh, so TUC, tuc and J-Quad, ah, okay.
Speaker 3:We felt like those are the two universities at that time that were more advanced in terms of technology and engineering Absolutely.
Speaker 2:You're right. So, yeah, your father had done background research on which university you should go and in terms of how good they are and what you wanted to do, and I agree with him actually 100%. So you settled on now let's go, let's do electronics and electronics engineering. Yeah, how is that? How does that actually transpire now? From now, you have decided this is what you want to do and now you're going to take what?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it just happened. I was called then I just started on the course and he was really supportive. But now, while doing the course, he brought up the subject of starting a business.
Speaker 2:While at the school.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he felt like you can study but if you don't, know how to convert your knowledge into business.
Speaker 3:It's not really helping. So he encouraged me to start a business. So he asked me what business do you think you can do? What do you like doing, even if it's not anything to do with engineering? Then I told him I like to bake, because even before he asked me that question, I had bought this money that I had saved, so I had bought an oven. Then I told him I have bought an oven, but now I don't have the skills on how to bake, but it's something I feel I can do and make money. So he told me I don't think it's a good idea for you to take a course in baking. Why not go to someone who is baking? We pay him money or half, then you study from them.
Speaker 2:That's apprenticeship again. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So he gave me 5,000. I went to a person who is baking.
Speaker 2:That is in Jujia.
Speaker 3:In Jujia. Still Then I learned how to bake. Then after that, I started my own baking.
Speaker 2:I started baking. So did you open like a whole bakery or just do it in-house and then supply?
Speaker 3:I went to a one-bedroom house, so my sitting room was for baking.
Speaker 2:So those students, my classmates who know me, who have birthdays?
Speaker 3:And because I was also a student, it was easy for me to maneuver to make for people birthday cakes to advertise myself in school groups. So I was really making, but the first year I started that when I was in second year, the first year I was making a loss.
Speaker 2:Why you used to spend more money than you sold your cakes.
Speaker 3:I was not getting enough clients and also my skills were not. If you compare what I was making and what was being sold out there, I had not really perfected that skill, but when I was now moving to third year my business was catching up. So, that's when I started getting a profit. Through that profit, I asked my dad now I have this money, what should I do? This is the money I've made.
Speaker 2:How much had you made?
Speaker 3:I had made around 35 to 50k and it was a span of like.
Speaker 2:This is now profit. You have paid all the bills.
Speaker 3:Some of it have. You know, I started from scratch, so I was also buying stock, buying the pans. We have the fondants that you use, the ingredients and all that. So that was like the spare change. So he told me so now that you have this money, why not expand your business? So he encouraged me to buy a bigger oven. So I bought a bigger oven and now he told me, because you can't manage to do that in school and also study, you buy an oven, bring it at home. Then it's like opening a branch at home. So I bought a big oven. It was like for 9K but for Juakali. So with that oven at home, I started using the help of my mom, because my mom is well connected with the kanisas with other ladies, so I started baking wedding cakes.
Speaker 3:I bake birthday cakes.
Speaker 2:But how could you do that while in school or just during the long holiday?
Speaker 3:During the long holiday and also when I was at home. It's like I taught my mom Nilimfunza how to do the baking, wow. So when I was at school we used to, but now we mostly concentrated on making the queen cakes for the shops. We just make a lot of them, then we supply every morning. So I did that, but my mom was now doing the selling when I was in school. So it really boosted a lot.
Speaker 2:What about your brothers? What did they want to learn from that?
Speaker 3:Actually my second, my brother, who is my immediate brother, is actually even paying his own school fees.
Speaker 2:Using baking.
Speaker 3:For him. I don't know how he got connected with these people who are doing the trading thing. Oh, forex. I don't understand how that works, but for him through that he's able to he started building a house at home.
Speaker 2:I hope he's not in the wash wash. You know those forest guys. There's a rumor that most of them are not in the forest.
Speaker 3:I just see him using the phone telling me sim cards but sim card what about SIM?
Speaker 2:cards.
Speaker 3:I think the PayPal things.
Speaker 2:So that you can send some of the money. Yeah, okay.
Speaker 3:Because these PayPals get banned.
Speaker 2:Oh, they get blacklisted if you send some amount. Yeah, yeah, okay so.
Speaker 3:I think they became challenged through what I was doing. Okay, so he started. He's connected with his friends so he started doing forex, yeah so through that money, but through that money he started building at home. He also started a business with poultry. He has also a tiktok tiktok account, which has more followers than mine.
Speaker 2:Now I want to meet him because this is interesting. So he's already in the business of forex and also poultry.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so he's doing large-scale poultry At home, at home. So yeah, he has his own TikTok account where he does that, but now my other brother for him the third born now. I think he's not interested in school, so he dropped out.
Speaker 2:At what stage?
Speaker 3:At form two. But now my dad was like as long as you are in my compound, you must finish up to form 4. So he has done the Form 4 this year. So he was at home like for two years but he went to do the Form 4 during the exam period and he got a C-plane. So, I feel he passed considering he did not study for Form 4 and part of Form 3.
Speaker 2:But now he's a tech savvy so does he do coding programming I find him.
Speaker 3:He's more interested with this cyber security. So you can find I don't know if it's legal to say that on cameras- no, it's fine so he does this copper solar unlocking stuff.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, he's really so. He knows how to hack gadgets.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he knows how to hack, Because even the company that I was working with as a software developer they were commissioning these phones for Lipa Mdogo Mdogo.
Speaker 2:Yeah, buy now, pay later.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so they used to take the services of my brother and tell him we have this phone. Can you try to unlock? And see if the lock system that we are using is good. Then he unlocks the phone.
Speaker 2:So after unlocking, now they know this service is for locking, it needs to be more secure.
Speaker 3:But now he doesn't want school. Yeah.
Speaker 2:No, there's nothing wrong with school or not wanting it, because there are people actually who don't find value in sitting and getting taught. Yeah, but I understand him. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:But now being at home and the environment at home, you know you have so much money Already. Your mom is providing you with a lot of things, so that having money and not knowing what to do with that money I think has interrupted his lifestyle. So socially he's not really a good boy, but he knows how to look for money. So, I think there's a way my dad brought us in that entrepreneurial side.
Speaker 2:So for him, he's an entrepreneur in his own way, His own way. Is he the last born or there's another?
Speaker 3:one. There's another one who is in now form two.
Speaker 2:Form two how is he doing?
Speaker 3:We are burdened children, he's figuring things out, he's still in school.
Speaker 2:Maybe you should, maybe even your other brother should, guide him slowly now that your dad is passed on, to guide him where necessary.
Speaker 3:I was talking about the baking. So I expanded the business to home. But now after school it really became. I joined now the software development because my dad was like you are an engineer. But now the world that we are going into, especially now that you are interested in IoT, you must do a software engineering course. Yes. So that's when I applied for software development. I got a scholarship with Moringa.
Speaker 2:With Moringa School.
Speaker 3:yeah, so by the time I was graduating, I was also graduating with a software developer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, as a software developer from Moringa.
Speaker 3:School From.
Speaker 2:Moringa School. Yeah, how was that?
Speaker 3:It was. I think the school is good because it's project-based. I love how they structure their curriculum. I think it helped me a lot. Okay. Yeah, but it's also. It's not like you're spoon-fed. Yeah, you have to canva, where you follow, but you want to learn, but it's really good.
Speaker 2:Okay, very nice. So you feel that's also added into electrical and electronic engineering course that you're doing.
Speaker 3:It added a lot, because now I feel like I can do a bigger project with the knowledge that I have. I can incorporate the software, the electronics and IoT. Okay yeah.
Speaker 2:So now you are at the university and you know, the thing that I find about Juja or Jquartz, thing that I find about Juja or Jquot of Kenyatta University of Technology and Agriculture, is it Agriculture and Technology. Agriculture and Technology. It's more technical than Agriculture, majorly Diggarton, which is supposed to be okay. It's purely Agriculture. You know, when I think about that, our forefathers are actually a division.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like they even set out universities to specialize, and one of those universities is Chimokinata University of Agriculture and Technology. There's Diggerton, which is more agricultural centric. There's Moi, I think, is more agricultural centric. There's MOI. Moi, I think, is more law and stuff.
Speaker 3:Law and education.
Speaker 2:Education. Ku is education mostly. University of Nairobi is everything, because that's the mother of all these other universities. Tum was more of a diploma. If you do a good diploma from Kenya Poly, which is now Technical University of Kenya, even you do a good diploma from Kenya Poly, which is now Technical.
Speaker 2:University of Kenya. Even you told me earlier on, if you do electrical and electronics engineering, someone with a diploma actually is more advanced than you are, because they're more practical. So you can see, actually they had a vision. And the reason I'm mentioning this is because, with our investors, nowadays everyone is getting a charter, as long as you can pay for it. I don't know how they get it, but most of the universities have a charter, some of them even if they're not accredited.
Speaker 3:They're not accredited, but they still offer.
Speaker 2:Yes, and they're still offering these diplomas and degrees. I don't know if later on they will be declared null and void. We have universities that maybe someone who got a first class is the one who is teaching instead of masters and above. So there is that challenge, but for you in J-Quad, you have the best of the best teaching you. How is that experience?
Speaker 3:The experience was good and there is also competition among the students.
Speaker 2:Because you are meeting alliance girls graduating meeting.
Speaker 3:By default, you find yourself being competitive because other people are also innovating.
Speaker 2:And they're more practical. Yeah, and do you get the Jujamaika things there?
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's Jujamaika comes a lot with a lot of things.
Speaker 2:You go to Jigwat. It's a package.
Speaker 3:I can't say I was the most angel person when I was in. Jigwat. Of course I was a student in Jigwat. Yes, yes, I did all the things that Jigwat comes with Did you smoke a blunt?
Speaker 2:I think I did once or twice, just trying things out.
Speaker 3:I think my perception was I don't want to be told that drugs are bad. Yes. Bangi is bad. When I was in Jiquat I said I'll try and with myself. I know it's bad, yes, so I think I tried everything, but I don't use them you found it's really bad.
Speaker 2:I found it's not like. I think I tried everything, but I don't use them. You found it's really bad.
Speaker 3:I found it's not like the most good thing that you can do with your life, yeah, so I stopped, but I can say I tried.
Speaker 2:Thank you for your honesty. There's someone who is supposed to be here because every time I tell her I know Jamaica people properly, she's always dodging yeah, when you're in Jujia, especially when you're a student.
Speaker 3:You are exposed to such so at some point in your life, unless you are an SDA or something. You are isolating yourself.
Speaker 2:The Jujia SDA, isolating yourself at some point at some point you'll come across.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Because your classmates are partying and you just can't say in five years, you'll never go to a birthday party.
Speaker 2:Or maybe a bash or something. Yeah, and it's actually not even jayquat alone, or maybe even in KU they are known for other things, which are your immediate neighbours. Ku also are known for other things. So at this age actually, people explore and they do all the wrong things that they are not supposed to do, and also they are smart people, so for some reason they feel like. You know, I've been studying so hard. Here is my freedom. Let me explore, and for you to explore. You find this is not what I want to do.
Speaker 3:This is not. It's not productive. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So your baking business now started thriving.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:Is it in between these baking business that you try these things, or?
Speaker 3:just before, I think now, when I was doing the baking. Now it's when I had the money and when you take the cake you follow the cake to see how the client appreciates it. I'm exposed to parties now and I used to bake at night. Then when I go to class in the morning, I go and deliver.
Speaker 2:And then in the evening you go and cut the cake.
Speaker 3:Then in the evening I go, maybe collect my payments. Let me ask you now a controversial question.
Speaker 2:Now that you're making cakes, have you ever gotten a request to make edible? The cookies, maybe the cookies or even the cake that is least.
Speaker 3:Yes, I used to make, did you?
Speaker 2:Oh, you did, you used to. So you know how to balance the chemistry, yeah.
Speaker 3:I did make them, yeah, but I think something I cannot make.
Speaker 3:Sorry, because when I was in fourth year. Because I have money. I don't have anything to do with money. My dad is being a parent, so he's paying the rent. Because, again, I'm a girl. He's not like a girlfriend for yourself. So I had the money. Yeah, it's not like girlfriend for yourself, so I had the money, yeah. So I used to try to try all this. You can find like someone approaches you make for me this, and I'm curious, let me see how it goes.
Speaker 2:Where did you get the recipe? Because I hear, if you don't balance the chemistry properly, these people can be people who tell you to make.
Speaker 3:Some of them know how to make. Oh just that they don't have a person. Who can you know?
Speaker 2:Do it for them.
Speaker 3:The oven and the person who can do.
Speaker 2:And were these mostly ladies, or they were men? Men?
Speaker 3:But some ladies also.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I hear, ladies love cookies.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they do. Yeah, you make the cookies with the things in them. But, I stopped that because I felt it can get me into trouble and I have to finish.
Speaker 2:Because it's not legal in Kenya. Yeah, but I think all over the world it's becoming legal and there's some guidelines around it. I think in Zambia, I don't know, some African countries have started legalizing it. I'm not sure which country. Maybe it must be the southern part of the continent. Yeah, so interesting. So that's quite interesting. Did you sell them higher than the other normal?
Speaker 3:cakes, of course, because it's also risky Did they bring the stuff for you.
Speaker 2:Did you go to get the contents? No, they bring the stuff for you. Did you go to get the contents? They bring the stuff because I don't know where to get it.
Speaker 3:They did bring the stuff, then make with them, but now I think I did it like three times. Then I stopped. You can't make something that you don't test. But it's like I made it to see how it goes I was just, I made it out of curiosity, okay, but now I made it like three and then I saw it's bringing a lot of attention to me, which can get me in trouble. I just stuck into baking Birthday cakes, wedding cakes and all that.
Speaker 2:So up to fifth year, you were just baking. Yeah, I was baking On the side and it used to really give you good cash.
Speaker 3:It used to bring me a lot of cash, and now you don't have any responsibilities, so I used to save that money. Then after my fifth year I told my dad this is the money I have, so what do you see I can invest in? So then he told me there is some land I have. You give me the money.
Speaker 2:I put trees for you how much, by this time, have you made?
Speaker 3:I have made around around 180 200. That's good money.
Speaker 2:Yeah, guys in school just doing and cramming presentations and trying to get first class, which you maybe might never get, try some you know business. Try maybe Okay, not everyone who is good business. Maybe find an internship, that one really opened my mind. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Because now, through that, you know how to hustle you know, how to look for gigs. You know how to talk to bargain for a price. Because there's someone you can sell for them a cake for 1K, even for 2K, but there's someone you can sell it at 1,500. So you know how to interact the business side, it really opened my mind.
Speaker 2:And also as an engineer, since you don't have most time you actually interact with gadgets than people. That also was another way of seeing the business side of things. Now, at what point did you start now venturing into, you know, electric and electronics engineering?
Speaker 3:So it came. You see, constantly my dad used to tell me you just go to school, get a skill, then use that skill to make money. So when I finished my graduation, my plan that we had set is for me to do masters. But now my dad died. He died like on a Saturday and I graduated on a Tuesday, so when he died I was fortunate to get a job as a software developer, but it was not a really good paying job. So after that contract ended now I was thinking I don't have connections.
Speaker 2:Yes, you don't have an uncle.
Speaker 3:I don't have an uncle. The person who could get me connections is dead. My relatives all the promises that they give you during the burial it ends after burial Everyone now minds their own business.
Speaker 3:So it's you and you. So I approached my mom. I told her yes, I've been doing the job, but this job has just been paying my bills. I don't have enough savings to start a business and looking for a job now. If others are looking for a job and they are not getting, what will make me have a job? And yet I don't have that much experience, I don't have connections, like they say. So I told my mom I have this idea why not support me in paying rent?
Speaker 2:And I'm not coming home. What idea was this?
Speaker 3:The idea was to start the IOT, to start just doing the projects for.
Speaker 3:IOT and software and also mentoring IoT and software and also mentoring. So I told my mom I have this idea, but now I don't think I can support myself in Nairobi as I actualize my idea and I don't want to come home because if I come home that's the end for me. So I told him just pay for me rent for the next three months. There's a person who I have identified. They have a workshop and in that workshop I think it's a good environment where I can start my ideas. So I went and wrote down what I want to do.
Speaker 2:That is a proposal. You wrote a proposal.
Speaker 3:You know, now, when you don't have an option, that is the only option you have. It's not like you are saying. I'll just do this one a little bit.
Speaker 2:As I wait for that to materialize. Yeah, so this is the only plan I had.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I wrote down a plan. I said I want to start this idea where I make for people websites, I make for them projects, but now I don't have clients and there's no one out there who knows what I'm doing, so how will I tap into that? The idea of online came came in mind to start to start a tiktok yeah, where in every project that I do, I show people what I do and all that. So I approached the person that I was telling you who was their workshop. Then I told him I have these ideas, but now I can't be able to pay rent for the first three months, so you'll accommodate me. Then, after three months, if they start bringing income, then I'll be assisting in paying rent.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that's how I started. I started making projects for students. I made banners where I tell students you know, I can show you how to use Arduino, how to program, how to make websites. You just hit me up. Then I made those posters. I distributed them in groups for JQuart. Within no time I got like three students. So the projects that I did for those students, I used them in my platform. They brought traffic and all that.
Speaker 2:So wait a minute, there's something that you just passed through, this person you said you told me about. Please talk about how you met Professor. What is his name?
Speaker 3:Logan Machoka. Logan Machoka, he's a doctor.
Speaker 2:Yes, how did you guys meet? Because that meeting was really interesting for me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I approached him. He's containers, containers. Containers is where most of our parties used to happen when I was in campus, so I used to bring cakes a lot around containers. So, uh, and that shop is located in containers. So I just I went and asked for the owner of that shop and it happened to be a professor who is a professor at Chuka University. So I took his number and made a date with him and now we started the discussion.
Speaker 2:Yes, and you can see. Actually this is Kate Anascomirobe on TikTok, yeah, where she has around 7,150 followers, and she's been doing this just for one year, guys. So for those who are using TikTok, the reason why I've opened this page is just to show guys, you know, the guys who are doing TikTok for the wrong reasons, yeah, which actually will never even monetize, yeah, and they wrong reasons, yeah, which actually will never even monetize, yeah, and they are ladies.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Okay, Not that even men are not doing it, but people are doing like generally, people are using TikTok for the wrong reasons. Yeah, so Kate actually has been doing this. You can see a lot of workshop videos. Of course, as a lady, she has to post something nice.
Speaker 3:Actually she has to post something nice. Actually that one, it's a project that I was doing.
Speaker 2:Oh, this one.
Speaker 3:You see, we found out that these are 360 booths. 360 booths if you import them from China. They cost around 350k. So we thought why not?
Speaker 2:make them from scratch. Okay, are you making those?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I do sell them.
Speaker 2:How much do you sell yours we?
Speaker 3:sell and hire at around 90K.
Speaker 2:You have one customer here. Yeah, the guy behind the camera.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I've seen him actually, with his friends, offer that service in our company.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:So I think maybe you guys, after all, you can connect and see.
Speaker 3:So we hire and we also make for people those you see that launching a 360 photo booth, that's the time that you are launching that product.
Speaker 2:So everything here is business. You can see Okay, people can't see what am I lighting, but yeah, all these are all projects and you can see some of them have some super, super amazing views, and this is the first one.
Speaker 3:That's my first video. I was doing wiring. I actually got a contract in Nakuru. Then the person was like you are an electrical engineer, why not collect some of your people and come and do wiring? For me installation. So, yeah, we went and did the installation. It was around 12 bed-sitters, so we did the wiring.
Speaker 2:And you can see when you're inspiring some other guys here saying it's your job. I'm also an electrical engineer, yeah, but interesting. So there's one that actually we have done with Africa Stalking. You can't locate it right now, but yeah, let me.
Speaker 3:It's that one. This one the same row, the second last one.
Speaker 2:Ah, this one Making uses deal with M-Pesa and Porto for our clients. Ah, this one Making USSD with M-Pesa and Porto for a client.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that one. I used the Africa Stalking because it was there were people who were asking me where I got the USSD. So I was saying you can check Africa Stalking.
Speaker 2:So I think I don't think this one. I saw there's another one that actually you're working on your table of you know, but guys can check it out. So check Kate and you can see she has some amazing, amazing views over 40,000 views. Yeah, so I mean, I just wanted to highlight that. Yeah, so I mean, guys, it can be done. So you started promoting yourself on TikTok, yeah, and what was your first interaction? Do you ever get cyberbullying? Do you get people with negative energy?
Speaker 3:The first obstacle that I found is people. Some people don't believe that you can do what you're saying. You can do.
Speaker 2:They think this is for the show.
Speaker 3:And also because I'm a lady, so someone can be having a project and they maybe don't believe you can deliver.
Speaker 2:So this is when you meet them, or even through the comments or DMs.
Speaker 3:Even the DMs, people think that you are not the one doing the project, so you're just promoting the project.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think that's very important for a lot of ladies.
Speaker 3:But now, when they give you now the project and you do it and you deliver, now they gain trust and now these referrals. You find that now, because you've done this for us, the next project they will also give you. So let me ask you, now that you've done this for us, the next?
Speaker 2:project they will also give you yeah. So let me ask you, now that you've said that there is this mistrust and you know, doubt. So if someone gave you their whole house, you'd electrify all of it according to the electrical standards.
Speaker 3:Yeah of that. But you see I have also my team because I can't do Okay, okay, yeah, alone, yeah of that. But you see I have also my team because I can't do Alone yeah, for sure, but you can design, you know the trunking, everything.
Speaker 2:But of course you'll need people to, maybe.
Speaker 3:But now I felt that part of electrical. I stopped concentrating much on that Because I felt it needs a lot of handy you know, you have to be there. You have to be there, and it needs a lot of manpower. Especially when there are storages you need to climb, so I felt let me concentrate on electronics and also coding, because that is what I am good at. So I went with electronics and coding, which is now IoT.
Speaker 2:I hear you. I see you are very smart. You don't want anything that is so involving.
Speaker 3:I feel you go for what you think is best for you. You just understand. You focus on your strength. Yeah you focus on your strength Instead of wasting time on improving on your what you are, on your strength Ah, interesting, instead of wasting time on improving on your yeah, what you're not good at, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, I see, so you get this job for software engineering. Yeah, just immediately after you finish, mm-hmm. Was it a job or internship?
Speaker 3:It was an internship, internship, an internship. Which company was this? It's called.
Speaker 2:Okay, we don't remember, that's fine, I remember.
Speaker 3:It's actually a person from the CEO is vying for MP in South Mogirango.
Speaker 2:The.
Speaker 3:CEO of that company. Just the last election. Yeah, the last election. The last election, even the other one. They were vying with my dad.
Speaker 2:Oh, even your dad was vying for a position. Yeah, but they lost. Yeah, he lost. Even last time, it's Osoro that you guys elected.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was Osoro.
Speaker 2:So your dad must be very popular in your yeah, he is.
Speaker 3:But now, that is his life, yeah.
Speaker 2:I like how you try to separate it. Yeah, so did you also share how to run for office? Maybe someday you'll run for office.
Speaker 3:I don't think I was when he was doing the campaign. I was not at home, I was mostly at school.
Speaker 2:And also it's not like the part that he wanted you to learn.
Speaker 3:I think he felt like he's in the stage of his life where he wants now. You know, when people now have money, they look for influence and power so he felt like it's something he can try to. I think it was one of the things that he wanted to do in his life and also he was a leader in very many things. So he felt like why not try politics? Okay?
Speaker 2:Alright, sounds interesting, so I don't know the company. Is it on phone? Yeah, on phone media. Yeah, yeah. So they also do some SMS.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they do SMS.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so you worked there for six months.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I did work there for six months.
Speaker 2:And after that.
Speaker 3:Then, after that, I started my own.
Speaker 2:But they wanted to offer you a full time.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Why did you not take it?
Speaker 3:I feel like. I felt like I'm not ready for I've not tapped into my at least let me try the ideas that I have. If I fail, I say I tried that I failed, so let me try the ideas that I have. If I fail, I say I tried and I failed, so let me try employment first.
Speaker 2:But employment was not at the top of the list.
Speaker 3:It was not at the top and I felt like we have had so many discussions with my dad about trying out the ideas that I have learnt in school. Why not try them out Then prove if they really work?
Speaker 2:So at ONFON you didn't feel like you can try them out. Yeah, it was limiting.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I felt like it was limiting and because I'm an intern, I don't get to be exposed to the big projects that they are doing and I felt like going 8 to 5 is too much.
Speaker 2:She's an entrepreneur. Yeah, so after leaving Onfon, you just go and start now that business with Professor.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and when I was in Onfon, at that time I was really stressed. It was like because I buried my dad. Then after two weeks I went to that job. So I was ever stressed.
Speaker 2:So you're still mourning, yeah.
Speaker 3:I was ever stressed, I think I was not the best employee. I used to miss most of these. I was not going to job and it's not like you can tell them, you know today I'm not feeling because they don't. I feel like in any job, they want you to bring money, be productive. So I felt like starting to tell them you know I'm missing because I was even under treatment. I was even under treatment. I was not getting sleep.
Speaker 2:Oh, you had insomnia.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I was not in the right mindset. So I felt like I'm stressing myself. So I felt why not just stop with the schedule of work, take time and think, give myself time to mourn, then try something else?
Speaker 2:Come back when you feel like so by this time you had engaged the professor about starting a business together.
Speaker 3:I engaged the professor two months after the job.
Speaker 2:So you had to take two months to just figure it out.
Speaker 3:To just figure out what I'm going to do. Also to like rest, because I felt I was stressed every time. I even migrated from the place I was staying.
Speaker 2:Which is.
Speaker 3:Juja. Yeah, I was staying in Cabanas because on phone it's in Cabanas.
Speaker 2:Mombasa, rodea, yeah, so I was staying in pipeline.
Speaker 3:So I came back again to Juja. I felt like Juja is a place I know well. I've done business.
Speaker 2:A lot of opportunities. I know people.
Speaker 3:And there's also students. So if you start something it's easier to market it because it's a familiar environment. So I said let me go back to Juja. If it doesn't work, I'll go back home or back to Kisii. Yeah.
Speaker 2:But it eventually worked.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we are still working.
Speaker 2:So is it? At this point? Now you are visiting a professor's shop.
Speaker 3:I knew the shop, I was seeing it. It's like I had eyed it, like to see it. So I tried other shops also. But now that one was, I felt like it was the best place. And now the owner was into my ideas Because I told him he's also an engineer a professor. He felt like the ideas that I have could grow and we could also grow together, like now the 360 photo book that we are doing he's into photography.
Speaker 3:Yes, even though he's doing the lecturing, he's also good at photography. Yeah, so we partnered. Then we said why not bring a product that you can use? But now I use also my knowledge. We built that one, so it was like a project. We merged, yeah.
Speaker 2:Quite interesting to hear how you know the engineering is fusing with photography. Software engineering is fusing with the hardware. Yeah. And for you, actually, you are very clear that I want to do IoT because that's, your software actually fuses with the electricals. Yeah, right, and you pitch this idea to the professor and he's like, okay, this makes a lot of sense. And even before you partnered, actually we had this conversation going on. Yeah, uh, at what point did you say, okay, professor, I want to use your workstation. How can we work it out?
Speaker 3:So at first it was hard, because you know the person looks at now I'm giving you this shop but you don't have, you, don't? You are saying you don't have money to pay, to pay. I think it just took a faith, a leap of faith.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so he was like he just believed in me yeah, and he started and you said give me three months yeah, just give me three months.
Speaker 3:If it doesn't work, then it's okay.
Speaker 2:I'll pack my bags. Yeah, and in three months. This is actually when you started the TikTok, just to market yourself yeah and you are very, you are very consistent actually, because what you have just seen in a few minutes was just one year work.
Speaker 3:Yeah, actually, it's less than a year Less than a year. Because I started around, was it March?
Speaker 2:March last year.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay, it's one year, so you just clocked one year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you have gotten so many businesses through this marketing. Yeah. What was the challenge, the hardest challenge in this thing, because you know, for me, I actually DMed you on TikTok. You can see I'm struggling to get followers. I have like 48, no 78 followers. Okay, that's my DJ page For you. Are you in that position where you feel like, oh man, I'm not getting any followers?
Speaker 3:Okay, I was very strategic on picking my niche because I knew my niche is not male dominated and when I'm taking the videos, I show what I'm taking the videos, I show what I'm doing. It's not like I tell you, I'm showing you what I'm doing. So I think there's that trust you gain with people. People can feel the authenticity that you're bringing Through, that you just get followers. Yeah.
Speaker 2:For myself and the rest of the struggling people. It's not like we don't show what we are doing for some reason I can't now say what I don't know.
Speaker 3:I think people feel the energy that I bring.
Speaker 2:I'll go and try and show what I'm doing. Maybe I don't show enough of what I'm doing, but ideally I think that goes a long way. But do you think also TikTok algorithm are more friendly, are more you know?
Speaker 3:for starters, yeah, but again, there's consistency. Can't post uh one video, then you post another one. You should post especially when you are starting, you should post a lot so that it, it like, reaches many people. If this video doesn't reach, there's the second video that I have so many videos to give you. So, it will reach more people.
Speaker 2:So there's that consistency. Yeah, please tell us more about the projects that you've built so far, like in detail, for those who don't know you at all.
Speaker 3:So I've done a couple of projects. I do websites, web designs I've built you of projects. I do websites, web designs I've built you can find someone telling you I want a website for my car wash. I want a website for my business. I've also done now for the company that not the company, the business that I'm working with I felt like I should make something like a sales management system for that business.
Speaker 3:So I've also built a sales management system that we are using. I've also done the USSD integrations. I've done a project with an IOT, project for Stadlock. A Stadlock is like for the. You see the way the control comes and locks your car and then now you have to pay, like the fine, but now that money is not registered in the county office. So I made a project in that the moment you lock the wheel it's recorded and it will only open when you make the payments.
Speaker 2:So this is an IoT automated it's now an IoT one. The only part that human is involved is locking.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's only locking, but the moment you make the payments it unlocks and other counties. I've posted that project.
Speaker 2:Okay on the TikTok videos.
Speaker 3:I've also done a fruit sorting system and even my undergraduate project. At that time it was the time for Corona, so I felt like, why not come up with a project which solves the social distancing part? It was a vehicle project and in that project it makes sure that there is no standing passengers in the vehicle and it also makes sure that social distancing is met and whenever any of the rules is broken, you know there's the SMS that you are given the notification and also I made the system for as the owner of the vehicle.
Speaker 3:I can know the amount of money that my vehicle has collected at different stages. So if it's in Thika, I'll know the vehicle has taken five passengers. This is the money that it has collected. So my work is just to come to my website see the total amount of money that I've collected at different points. So that was a really interesting project that I've collected at different points.
Speaker 2:So that was a really interesting project that I did and let me ask you this Do you think, because your projects are closing most of the gaps, that people consider business or entrepreneurship, but basically they are either corruption or a retrogressive approach? Entrepreneurship, but basically they are either corruption or, you know, retrogressive approach towards what you're supposed to do as an employee, as a civil servant? Have you implemented this in any county? Have you experienced any challenge?
Speaker 3:Not yet. I've not implemented it. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So this tells me then there are really good, good ideas out there.
Speaker 3:They're really good smart people Of course they're smart people and they're good ideas, but not the problem of corruption. Who is going to fund your project? And all that. People owning the project is really.
Speaker 2:It's a challenge, yeah.
Speaker 3:So you find that you now stop concentrating on innovation and now concentrating on making now money, which is the normal projects making websites that you know people will buy and not concentrate much on innovation. Yes, because even if you innovate, probably you'll still stay with your project.
Speaker 2:And you might even sleep hungry, by the way, yeah.
Speaker 3:It's not logical.
Speaker 2:These are innovation weeks that happen in different places across the country and also at JECWA they always have this tech expo. Have you tried to showcase some of these projects there?
Speaker 3:When I was in campus I did, but now that I'm out, I've not yet joined those programs, but it's something I'm planning to do.
Speaker 2:Because I feel like some of your projects would be a game changer in a lot of ways for people and it could even bring down some of those fines, because, also, you know when a fine is determined. I think they look also on the trouble that you cause, yeah, or the trouble they have to go through to actually clear you to proceed. And, of course, you know we have always had challenges with the traffic. Yeah, we've always had challenges with the county council and municipality. So I feel like it's a niche. There's a niche there, but I mean there needs to be more highs on the project. And also, from where I stand, I feel like not only will this apply in Kenya, but it can apply in Africa in different countries. So 54 of them. So some of these tech expos, innovation weeks where you can just showcase your projects, would be very ideal to see it, and also TikTok, as you put it.
Speaker 3:This now goes all over and I found that people want to learn these skills. So the way I'm doing the projects and I found that people want to learn these skills, so the way I'm doing the projects I got that people are approaching me to teach them IoT. I've actually taught some people from Tanzania online.
Speaker 2:Nice, like how many of them?
Speaker 3:Like three. I've mentored three people from Tanzania and they're ready to pay for it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they pay people?
Speaker 3:people want knowledge, but they don't know how to get it and get it well, yes, especially practical knowledge especially. Yeah. So, and also in juja I found that these kids, they come, they see what you're doing, they feel like hey, I see what you're doing, they feel like hey. I love what you're doing. So I started teaching kids on coding. So I've taught around five kids on but now I start with Scratch, the Scratch for the kids. So yeah, I've taught kids Scratch.
Speaker 2:How much do you charge per kid?
Speaker 3:Per kid 30.
Speaker 2:30,000?.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:For the whole course. Yeah, this is Scratch or just also basic coding.
Speaker 3:We start with Scratch because you can start with the advanced coding, so I just teach them Scratch. Then from there you can code Scratch actually and use it to make an IoT project. So, we make remote control bulbs using the scratch that they learn and I find them most of them feel motivated. Even you'll find them coming to learn after school.
Speaker 2:Because it's cool, yeah, and do you go to them or they come to the workshop?
Speaker 3:They come to the workshop.
Speaker 2:Because now that presents a lot of challenges. Yeah, they come to the workshop.
Speaker 3:Because now that presents a lot of challenges.
Speaker 2:They come to the workshop. Maybe okay, I don't know Maybe we can think of ways to democratize the way they access this, because, also, I feel like maybe it's about time engineers even thought about opening kids engineering kind of schools, the problem is now the funding because to access many students and be able to teach all of them, because they can't come with laptops, because to be able to teach a student how to code, they must come with a laptop.
Speaker 3:There's the finance of buying the components, so you find that we are limited to a certain number of kids. So if we find some funding, some place to do that stuff, I think it will be the best thing, especially now that we are going to a world of tech. I think it's good for the kids to learn such skills instead of even learning other things that don't help them.
Speaker 2:True, true. I think we'll have a conversation off the cameras after this to explore ways that actually we can see what we can do in relation to that. So what is next for kids? What is in the works? I hear there is a lot. I want to focus more on for kids.
Speaker 3:What is in the works? I hear there is a lot. Yeah, I want to focus more on now building myself. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Even expanding the business that I have Mentoring more people Coming with more innovations yeah, and here, when you say innovation, it's building practical projects, yeah, and is there anything in the works?
Speaker 3:At the moment we are concentrating on the booth because it's now a new product that we have, so we are trying to push it.
Speaker 2:Booth is the one that 360?
Speaker 3:Yeah, but also I don't know if I'm supposed to say but on the kids' part, there's a project I'm working on them to make their learning easier. Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, please safeguard your idea as much as possible. Yeah, okay, and are you looking for collaborators, partners, investors?
Speaker 3:I'm really looking for them, but I don't know how to get them, and I also think that I also want to get someone to. It's like a mentor or someone who can hold my hand, Because you know now what I've started. I've started from scratch and it's just one year, and I feel like if I get people, especially the people with power, to assist us, we can go further and even influence more people.
Speaker 2:How many are you in your workshop?
Speaker 3:We are around three, three, three, but we have also the people who do the photography.
Speaker 2:We are around five, five, but we have also the people who do the photography. We are around five, five. Yeah, a total of five plus the professor or just the guys in the workshop.
Speaker 3:The guys in the workshop and what we are doing. You see, the people in the workshop it's only one who has done a degree in electrical and electronics. The others you find that they have finished the form four but now they don't have money to go to college or to go to somewhere. So we take them, we teach them things like phone repairs, these skills that we are sure they can get something.
Speaker 2:So that one person who has finished electronics and electrical engineering it's you or there is someone else. It's me and there's another guy, so you're two of you.
Speaker 3:We are two of us.
Speaker 2:Are you the only lady?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm the only lady.
Speaker 2:Interesting, so there is support that is needed on that line.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I feel like if we get more support, we can do a lot and can impact a lot of people.
Speaker 2:For sure, this podcast will go a long way in reaching out to more people.
Speaker 3:Especially in the mentorship, there's a lot of people who want to learn, but now there's that practicality of getting all the people finance, etc.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean there's a huge, huge opportunity of getting all the people finance. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean there's a huge, huge opportunity. When I think about it and this actually has been there since even me, when I graduated, I realized people don't want innovation by design. Like innovation, it's perceived like it will cause people to sleep angry.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because the people thrive on you know these shortcuts yeah.
Speaker 2:So there's so much, but I also am a believer of if the solution is so good, we'll have more resources, not like anyone will sleep angry, but at least there'll be more opportunities. We'll not be educating our kids and saying there are no jobs, because even entrepreneurship actually has a limit, because also you need to employ people. So as much as you are running away from employment, even you as an entrepreneur, if you want to grow, you have to hire people. So we need to make that environment so friendly that, regardless if you're hired or you're hiring, everyone gets what they deserve. If you bring value, get value out of it, because the ecosystem we are in right now is where you give value but you get less value from that value.
Speaker 2:So, kate, I know you have met so many ladies. You have gone to school with some of them, either in primary, in high school, in university, and to some extent they are discouraged or even they don't like engineering. What is that one thing that actually made you love engineering and pursue it? But of course, I know your father is part of that journey.
Speaker 3:Yeah, of course. Actually, even one of the reasons that I started my TikTok was to encourage other girls, Because I felt that there's a way we perceive this part of the career of electrical software. You know it's hard career of electrical software. You know it's hard. So my aim was also to inspire the girls to join the tech world. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So that was one of the main reasons. Yeah, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3:And what is that one thing that actually kept you going? I can say I was self-motivated, because there was something I wanted, and I can say I did not have an option.
Speaker 2:So it's not like you could do this and then, if it fails, you do something else.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's something I wanted to do and it's something even when I got into campus, I knew I'm doing this electrical and electronics. Because of this, I finished it. Even before getting a job. I did a software engineering. So, I was really intentional.
Speaker 2:And self-driven, yeah, so, even when you encountered challenges, it was nothing, so, like I have, this has to work.
Speaker 3:This has to work because this is what I've been doing, I've been preparing has to work. This has to work because this is what I've been doing.
Speaker 2:I've been preparing myself to do yeah. So, of course, Kate, you are very beautiful. How has been your dating life? And given that you are close to KU, you've been to Juja. You've been to Jquart. Yeah, to Judah, you've been to.
Speaker 3:J-Quads. So I can say when I was in campus my dating life was. I can say it was non-existent Because I was more focused on education and business, but I did party. I think my they say there is something that always kills a man.
Speaker 2:A man has to die from something. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So if yours is not church or girls, mine was, I think, the partying, but now I got over it, the parting, but now I got over it. I was not into dating that much because I felt like I don't want to waste my time so much on these situationships that I know will not work. And my dad was really clear. He was telling me these things, you'll find them, and most probably if you take so much of your time in it it will waste you.
Speaker 3:And what if you become pregnant? There's that aspect. Now I'm pregnant, I have to take care of the baby. I've not finished school, everything. The moment you become pregnant and get a child now, you stop living your life. Yes, you start living Every decision that you make. You must now think of the kid, and I felt like I did not want to put myself in a situation where I have to choose not to pursue something Because now I made a wrong decision and got a kid. Of course, a kid is a blessing, but I did not want it to come at the wrong time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:So now that I'm done with school, it's when I'm even thinking about dating Exploring the dating.
Speaker 2:Oh nice, yeah. No, I mean, is there someone who has presented their memoranda or their agenda?
Speaker 3:There are many people who have done that. But again, I feel like the partner that you choose to hang around with because most of the time that person is the person you share most of your ideas with is the biggest decision you can make, especially financially, career-wise. So I think I'm just taking my time.
Speaker 2:Okay, very nice. That's a wise word from a wise lady. Yeah. And, as they say in Africa, for those who have ears may they hear, For those who choose to ignore, they'll pay the price. Yeah, so what are your last words? I don't know which. I think it's this camera here To the ladies pursuing engineering and just overall, like what would you share with your even followers, your fans? I'm your fan number one by the way.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you Okay number 7,001.
Speaker 2:But of course I like what you do. So what is that message you'd share as a parting shot?
Speaker 3:The message I will share is just try. You may fail and most probably the first time that you are trying you'll fail. But just try. This field is not meant for men, it's not meant for only ladies. Just try and always be willing to learn like for me, I'm, I'm doing. Even though I'm doing this business thing, I'm also learning. I told you I completed a cloud computing course the other day and I've also gotten a scholarship to do my master's. So I'm always learning to upskill myself. So always learn, always try new things and just be open-minded. The world is there to embrace you.
Speaker 2:Very nice, very nice. So, as you have made it our habit, we are always concluding this podcast, you know, using an African proverb, and we are borrowing this from Spice FM where, and you know the other. We are borrowing this from Spice FM where, and you know the other hosts. I find it interesting for me. So our proverb today talks about education and it's very popular. And it says education. And it's very popular. And it says if you educate a man but this is debatable, by the way if you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.
Speaker 2:This is a well-known African proverb. It's long been motivating people around the world to strive for education for all. So the message here is and this can be proven at least through kids that educating everyone is really, really important. And you know, of course, for obvious reasons, a woman actually in Africa is considered a mother of community. I don't know this is changing very fast, but when I was growing up, you could eat anywhere, could sleep anywhere, and most of this was facilitated by women. So I believe that if you educate a woman, you educate a community. So I believe that if you educate a woman, you educate a community. So thank you so much, kate, for honoring our invites, and one of the things that I keep reminding our listeners is that African stories need to be told, because how many kids are out there that no one knows about them and people still perceive engineering as a man-dominated field.
Speaker 2:It's still a man-dominated field, but if we have more kids coming out and sharing how much they have done, of course you have shared it with ease, like you know. It's an easy thing. I just, you know, did this, did, but of course I'm sure you really also worked really hard, because engineering is not easy for anyone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not easy, not easy, you know. So it's quite interesting. So if someone actually decides to pursue, you know, that career, at least they have care to look up to and how she, you know, dealt with all these challenges, the focus, the zeal to be able to get there. So we'll also invite you again and again as you're starting your career.
Speaker 2:I don't want to call it career because career sounds like you're employed your journey in business and in software, where it means hardware, because the world, they used to say in 2001, software is eating the world. It's no longer eating the world, folks, it's already eaten, because if you see what AI is doing, machine learning, even our TVs nowadays, our fridge, they've become computerized. So there's a lot of opportunities and Africans actually can lead, and the reason why Africans are very important in this story is because most of the solutions that we've been consuming and still consuming are not African, are not built for Africans. I even know that right now there's a new initiative to build Android for Africa with African in mind. Can you?
Speaker 2:imagine how many years down the line, over 10 years after Android became a thing. So there's so much, and just to encourage everyone who is pursuing engineering in Africa to keep at it, but until next time. This is Impact Masters Podcast in collaboration with Africa Stalking, and Africa Stalking is a developer. We provide you with developer APIs in mobile data, ussd, sms, voice and airtime, and also we are powering businesses across Africa using our solutions to reach out to the last mile and the end user of your solution. So check out Africa Stalking if you want to build OTP marketing messages, communication messages and integrating with your software, as Kate has indicated, is one of the things that she does for clients at africastalkingcom. And until next time, thank you so much.
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