written by Kenyanito Dudi
IDAK mapped out and is journeying with “Mellany” in entrepreneurship. Mellany is a youth from a complex family background riddled with extreme poverty; who was orphaned at a formative years and lived with her grandparents in the village of Western Kenya. She was a victim of rape when she had just joined secondary school and had gone to visit a friend when she was 14 years old. This is the fateful day that ruined her life killed her dreams in life. She was raped and coincidentally conceived after the incidence. With poverty stricken background, this heinous act was never reported to the authorities in the village and was treated casually for the perpetrator was known by her and the relatives. As time went by, she realized that she was expectant hence had difficult decision to make. She chose to carry the pregnancy full term. She lived with the ageing grandparents who are physically challenged. The grandmother is visually impaired while the grandfather had an accident which rendered him immobile since he was knocked down by a cow. Mellany is responsible of feeding the four people plus her cousin.
After giving birth to her baby (now 10 years old), that was the end of her secondary education hence she had to move to Kisumu City in order to work as a nanny to fend for the son and ailing grandparents. After sometime, she chose to volunteer in a hair salon since she was naturally talented in plaiting people’s hair. She worked here for some two years until the lady whom they were working for died. She together with her colleague, teamed up to carry on with the running the salon. They have bee running the business for the last two years. The GIFTED HANDS BEAUTY PARLOUR is the brain child of Mellany. It is strategically located next to the entrance of a College in Kisumu where the numbers of students coming for hairdressing are guaranteed. They do them simple hair styles like blow dry, braids, lines, nails, etc.
IDAK has walked with her in capacity building in business planning, registration of the business by getting a single business permit, basic book keeping, marketing, business exposure and mentoring through partnerships and collaborations with established players in the industry to mention but a few. GIFTED HADS PARLOR is located in such a busy place where with good capital and business management skills it can really thrive. Melany, is in need of a training on Nail Technology and dire need for attracting other clients widening her services. As such, she is in need of buying items like Foot spa, UV machine, Manicure set, Gel set, Aceton, Cotton wool and Others. IDAK has taken a lead role in injecting a seed capital towards this start up. This will improve their daily profit margin by almost 100 % hence raising the profit from Ksh. 500-1,000.00 per day. This can help Mellany in taking care of her 4 dependents (son, aging grandparents and a cousin who lives with her in Kisumu at the moment). IDAK gave her a 35% grant of the total budget for expansion of the salon with the room for monitoring and additional of another similar percentage in the coming quarters. “I lack words…IDAK has been a real godsend to me and made my dream come true. I have longed for someone to listen to me and give me a chance… I have always felt rejected and worth nothing… I have now felt valued, recognized, loved and worth dreaming again!” She said during a recent interview after receiving the first tranche of seed capital for expansion. “With this capital, I will do my best to multiply it in order to enlarge my business, employ some workers, support my sick and aging grandparents and also give back to the community as the LORD leads. May the LORD bless and keep IDAK and all her partners. IDAK has opened my eyes.” She said amidst shaking with tears rolling down her cheeks.