For Irene, a small kiosk that began by selling chips has gradually become a source of income for her family and a way to keep her children in school.
She started by selling chips, then added onions and other food items to her business. With limited capital, however, expanding the stock has remained a challenge, forcing her to manage the little money available carefully.
At times, Irene has had to cut her personal daily spending from about KSh200 to KSh100, using the KSh100 saved to add to her business capital.
“I started with chips, then added onions, and now I want to grow my business,” she said in an interview.
Customers buying goods on credit and failing to pay have added to the pressure. She also sometimes buys items that take longer to sell, tying up her money in stock while other business needs keep piling up.
Despite the challenges, Irene has continued with the business because of the role it plays in her family. Income from the kiosk helps pay her children’s school expenses and support other household needs.
Her goal is to build up enough stock to grow the kiosk into a larger business and achieve the dream she has set for herself.
That journey received an unexpected boost through Bangbet’s Biashara Boost Programme, a corporate social responsibility initiative supporting small-scale traders with essential supplies.
Bangbet Boosts Small Traders With Essential Business Supplies
Irene said she was surprised when she received additional stock through the programme, including maize, potatoes and onions, giving her more products to sell without having to immediately spend her limited capital on restocking.
For a small trader operating on tight margins, the additional supplies have given Irene room to keep her business moving while working towards increasing her stock further.
Another beneficiary, Mark, who runs a food kiosk, has also faced the challenges of operating a small business with limited capital.
One of his biggest challenges is stocking enough food while unsure whether customers will turn up. At times, customers also ask to take food on credit, leaving him waiting for payment and making it difficult to maintain a steady stock.
Mark Receives Business Boost
Despite the challenges, Mark remains optimistic about the future. He hopes that within five years he will have started a family and built something that can also benefit society, particularly children living with disabilities.
“My advice to the youth is to start small and be wise in business. With time, the business will grow and help you achieve your dreams,” Mark said.
His journey received an unexpected boost when Bangbet’s Biashara Boost Programme surprised him with additional supplies, including wheat and maize flour, to add to his existing stock.
Biashara Boost, which has already reached several parts of Nairobi, is now extending its reach to other counties, bringing support closer to more small-scale traders across the country.
The initiative comes at a time when many informal businesses continue to operate with limited capital and struggle to maintain adequate stock.
For traders such as Irene and Mark, the additional supplies provide practical support that can ease the cost of restocking and give them room to focus on growing their businesses.
Biashara Boost is part of Bangbet’s wider CSR efforts to support entrepreneurs in Kenya’s informal sector and help them build more sustainable livelihoods.
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