This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
At 19, Zipporah Kigotho is a shining example of entrepreneurial spirit and determination. The second-year hospitality management student at Mathenge Technical Institute in Othaya, Nyeri County, has found a way to earn a decent life and occasionally buy gifts for her parents by recycling and beautifying waste plastic bottles.
Her journey began when she was still a young girl at Kiganjo Primary School, collecting pieces of paper or threads to make small flowers. However, it wasn't until she joined the college that she resurrected her passion for interior décors during a research lesson on interior décor.
With the help of the internet, Zipporah designed her first flowers using locally available resources. She started by designing two flowers in a day, but has since gained experience and speed, and can now make up to ten sets in a day.
Her main customers are shops selling furniture, individuals, and institutions in need of beautifying their offices in a unique way. The cost of production per flower is Sh100, which she sells at between Sh400 and Sh450 depending on design and customer ability.
On a good day, Zipporah sells all the ten flowers designed in a day, earning her between Sh4, 000 and Sh4, 500. She attributes her success to the timely delivery of flowers to the customers as agreed at the time of placing their orders.
Since she ventured into the flower design making business, Zipporah says she has never bothered her parents with her school fees, pocket money, and she has some good savings for a rainy day.
