Utawala Woman Who Lacked Fees for College, Learns to Install Tiles from Boyfriend: "Earned Me Respect"
- Joyce Awino and Sylvester Okongo met in Nairobi after she packed her bags and left Migori in search of greener pastures
- Okongo, who was already installing tiles, took Awino under his wings and taught her the job, and would pay her between KSh 600 and KSh 1,000
- The two now run the Fieldspar tiles installer centre that boasts 22 employees who work for clients all over the country
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When Joyce Awino cleared her Form Four in 2019, it became very apparent to her she would not proceed with further education as her parents didn't have the money to pay for her college education.
Source: UGC
Awino wanted to be an electrician
Although Awino always dreamt of becoming an electrician or engineer, she didn't waste time having a pity party.
She left her native Migori county for Nairobi to live with her brother.
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In Nairobi, she was determined to learn a craft, and that is when she met the lover of her life Sylvester Okongo.
Okongo was not like some men who misuse ladies, he took her just like she was and offered to teach her how to install tiles.
"I started in 2020 as I was still living with my brother. He used to give me between KSh 600 and KSh 1,000 per project," Awino told Briefly News in an interview.
Fieldspar tiles installer centre boasts 22 employees
The pair now boast a business that has employed 22 people who work for them per project.
"Our people travel to far-off places to install tiles for clients and we sometimes have to book hotels for them incase they are not in very safe places," she said.
Fieldspar tiles installer centre charges KSh 300 (R32) for plain tiles per square foot and KSh 450 (R63) per square foot for patterned tiles.
Initially, Awino used to feel a lot of back pain after working but she soon got used to it. She also decried clients who do not pay their money on time.
"It earned me respect from friends and family," said Awino of her new job.
You can find her on Facebook's Fieldspar tiles installer centre or on 0729024320.
Nairobi woman runs thriving business
Sophia Osano did not have much luck with her boyfriend as last year, he took off when she was heavily pregnant, leaving her to fate.
Osano set up her clothes shop in anticipation of her baby, so she would have a source of income as she was to lose her job after delivery.
Now, she is a hard-working woman managing her shops in Nairobi's CBD while being the best mom to her son.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
Denika Herbst (Editor) Denika Herbst is a Human Interest writer at Briefly News. She is also an Industrial Sociologist with a master's degree in Industrial Organisational and Labour Studies from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, which she completed in 2020. She is now a PhD candidate at UKZN. Denika has over five years of experience writing for Briefly News (joined in 2018), and a short time writing for The South African. You can reach her via: denika.herbst@briefly.co.za.
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
