Kenya, May 30 -- If someone had told me five years ago that I would own one of the busiest supermarkets in my town, I would have laughed and maybe even cried. Back then, I was running a small wooden kiosk, not much bigger than a bed. Most days, I made just enough money to buy a loaf of bread and some sugar for my tea.
My name is Ronald, and this is my story of how I changed that small kiosk into a successful supermarket. It all started with a decision I almost didn't make.
After the pandemic, my little kiosk barely survived. I used all my savings to buy new stock, but hardly anyone came to buy. People were struggling for money, and there was a big new supermarket nearby that had prices I couldn't match.
Sometimes, I would sit there from morning to night, selling only airtime and gum. On a good day, I made 300 shillings; on a bad day, nothing at all.
What hurt me most was not just being poor, but the mockery from others. My cousin laughed at me, saying, "You and your wooden box, just give up." Continue reading
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.