In a remarkable tale of resilience and determination, Purity Wambui’s life transformed from humble beginnings as a house girl to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
Her journey is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and a testament to the power of perseverance, hard work, and unwavering belief in oneself.
Purity’s early life was marked by challenges and hardships, having been born into a broken family in Munithu – Nyaki West Ward.
With her parents’ separation and her mother involved in illicit brewing, Purity faced numerous struggles from an early age.
Despite these difficulties, her thirst for education and a better life only intensified.
Completing her primary education at Kamiti Primary School, Purity’s academic journey faced yet another hurdle – lack of financial support to continue her studies.
Undeterred, she took matters into her own hands and started selling vegetables by the roadside outside her grandmother’s home.
Through relentless efforts, she managed to raise Ksh 1,500, which she used to buy essential items for high school.
Seeking a sponsor for her high school education, Purity found support from a Catholic priest named Father Dominic.
However, joining high school presented its own set of challenges – she lacked the essentials and couldn’t afford a school uniform.
Undeterred, she utilized the Ksh 1,500 she had saved to purchase second-hand clothes for her uniform, a pair of shoes, and refurbished her mother’s old box for storage.
In high school, Purity’s stellar academic performance caught the attention of her teachers, who began supporting her by providing books for free.
During weekends, she worked for a teacher in exchange for basic shopping needs. Over holidays, she sought employment on farms to raise money for her school upkeep.
Upon completing her secondary education, Purity found herself at a crossroads.
Her high school sponsor had left the country, and her mother couldn’t afford to continue her education.
In a serendipitous turn of events, a newspaper advertisement caught her eye – a potential job with a house manager’s agency in Nairobi.
Determined to seize the opportunity, Purity worked on a farm to raise fare to travel to the city.
However, her initial experiences in Nairobi were far from welcoming. The agency she contacted didn’t have ready jobs, and she had to spend nights in a motel with other job seekers.
Despite initial setbacks, Purity’s tenacity paid off when she secured employment as a house girl and saved Ksh 10,000.
In 2002, she made a life-changing decision to join her sister at Gikomba Market, one of Nairobi’s largest open-air markets.
Initially aiming to earn money for education, Purity’s keen business sense and market understanding propelled her beyond her initial aspirations.
Known for offering high-quality products at competitive prices, Purity quickly gained a reputation for exceptional customer service and a strong work ethic.
However, tragedy struck in 2015 when a devastating fire swept through Gikomba Market, consuming her business and goods worth Ksh 3.5 million.
Refusing to be defeated, Purity’s determination shone through as a friend provided her with an opportunity to restart her business.
With shoe bales to sell, she showcased her sales expertise, making Ksh 10,000 in just an hour. Her benefactor helped her transition from a B2C seller to operating as a broker, revolutionizing her business model.
In a few months, Purity stabilized her business, purchased a plot of land, and gained financial freedom.
Motivated by unwavering ambition, she began importing full containers of mitumba from the UK, Canada, and China regularly.
Her business, Kastevic Mitumba Importers, flourished, enabling her to offer a wide range of clothing options and mentor younger traders for free.
