This archive report was first published on 12 November 2021.
November 12, 2021, marked a turning point for Silvia Bichanga, a 28-year-old American woman who found herself in the midst of economic hardship in Kisumu, Kenya.
After marrying a Kenyan man early this year, Bichanga's husband was forced to shut down his computer shop due to financial struggles. The couple's economic situation worsened, and Bichanga's husband began fixing laptops at a friend's shop in downtown Kisumu, but the income was insufficient.
Undeterred, Bichanga teamed up with a local friend, Eve Ochieng, to start a small pastry shop. They initially sold American-style street foods by the roadside, a venture that both their spouses thought was unwise.
Despite the initial skepticism, the duo secured a premises near a car wash and named their shop 'Mzungu Pretzels.' They sold a variety of items, including mandazis, pretzels, apple pie, and pizza pockets, all for under Sh100.
However, sales were inconsistent, and Bichanga took up hawking on Kisumu streets to build a customer base. This strategy proved successful, and she reports making between Sh1,500 and Sh2,000 a day as profit.
According to Bichanga, her unique catalog and the 'American experience' aspect of her food have contributed to her success. She revealed that she gets along well with men, but many women question her motives.
“Some make discouraging statements like 'why are you hawking, yet you people have money and you could even pay my rent!' Little do they know what's actually on the ground,” Bichanga said.
Bichanga came to Kenya through a Conservative Christian Mission in 2019 and met her husband two years before their wedding in April this year.
