My name is Joseph Mwangi, and I live in Thika Town, Kiambu County, near Makongeni Estate. I am 38 years old, married to Esther Mwangi, and a father of three. For more than six years, my life was a cycle of hope and disappointment. I would start a business full of energy, invest my savings, struggle through the early days—and just when things seemed about to work, everything collapsed.
My first business was a motorbike spare parts shop in Thika. I chose a good location near the stage. Customers came in, sales were promising, then suddenly suppliers delayed deliveries, rent increased without warning, and thefts began happening at night. Within eight months, I shut it down. I blamed bad luck and told myself to try again.
The second time, I opened a cereal business supplying maize and beans to schools around Gatundu and Ruiru. I even took a loan. For a while, things moved well. Then schools delayed payments, one contract was cancelled mysteriously, and the vehicle I hired kept breaking down. I ended up in debt. My wife started losing faith, though she never insulted me. Her silence hurt more than words.
