 Wela very good morning to you. Thank you so much for sticking with us. Wherever you are watching us from, this is Y254 TV, your number one youth station. And of course we are continuing with this morning program right here on Y in the morning. If you are just joining us, my name is Ram Aguco and this is the strength of a woman segment. We won't talk about what makes women stand out. Of course we feature different women, different ladies for that matter on different days. Today we'll talk about how can you create opportunities for yourself and others? What can make you stand out as a lady? And do you need a job or do you need to get employed for you to succeed in life? Well today let's talk about this right here and of course I am with Johan Noah. She is a young employer and entrepreneur. Can we say Johan? Thank you so much Ram. How are you doing? I'm okay, how are you? I'm good, I'm good. For somebody who's meeting you for the first time, tell us something a bit more about yourself and what you do. My name is Johan Noah. I go by Johan Noah on all my social media pages. I am an entrepreneur. I deal in interior decoration. I offer both products and services. I also deal in mtumbak clothing. That was my first job. I began this when I was in college because I could pay fee for myself. So I could go to class and then after class rush to Gikomba, get a dress or two, come back, sell it at 300, get a profit of 100 shillings and then the next day when people are going to rave and do everything I would still be at Gikomba and then back. So that is how I began. Wow. From that intro you know very well that this is someone that you really want to listen to. And of course we are broadcasting live from the broadcasting house here in Nairobi, Kenya and of course streaming live through our website www.kbc.co.ke4 slash y254 so that you can be able to follow this show on the go from wherever you are. My handle is at Ramaguko which is where you can be able to find me. Head over to our Facebook page where you have posted the question of the day and tell us where you are looking us from. As you give us your thoughts and regards to this and matters concerning strength of a woman, Joann, let's take it back a few years. Form 4. You said was it high school, I mean campus after campus. You are saying that you had your first job and it flopped. That was after which was it? After Form 4. Form 4. Yes. I had my first job even before I got my results. So I was teaching, I was a teacher paid by BOG. So I got to a school, it's in the village. My village is a village. So it was like a rehabilitation center. So we have ladies who had gone to, who had given birth before they finished their high school. So everyone was there. So funnily enough in Form 3 I was the youngest. I was the youngest among the students as a teacher. I was just 17. Most of my students were 20, 23, 24. So you're teaching, you finished Form 4 at the age of 17? Yes. Wow, wow. So you finished Form 4 at the age of 17, you volunteered to be a teacher somewhere. And those who you teach are 23? Yes. What? And there's one lady, there's a day she was not, hakwa nashika anything class. So there's a day you called her and she was like, Madam, if my first born were alive, she would have been your age mate. And I was like, okay. So I was being paid 3,500 Kenyan shillings. I was the only lady teacher in that school. So I was the burden mistress. I was taking care of these ladies. I was taking care of these women. And I was also finding myself as a teenager. So things were, things were hard. I had to grow up so quickly and grew up for their sake and also for my sake because I also needed this money. I needed funds to get to college and maybe support my mom in, you see. So I had to be there. I had to grow up. I had to act like someone who had gone to a teacher's training college or someone who had gone to campus. So I worked, I was working like every time I was not sleeping but I was earning 3,500 shillings. Per month? Per month. Wow. For how long did you do that? I did that for the whole of 2013. Yeah, the whole of 2013, for a year. For a whole year? 3,000 shillings per month? 3,000 shillings per month. What? And what kept you going for a whole year? Why did you keep on doing that for one full year? It was a passion. You know, after fomfo, there's nothing much you can do in the village. There's nothing much you can do. I had not come to Nairobi. To likuja Nairobi na trans line, you get. I failed you. I had not come to Nairobi. So I was also dreaming about Nairobi and I was like, oh, one day I'll go there. The city of opportunities? Yeah, the city of opportunities. I was like, one day I will have to go there. So I had to be there for these ladies. It was a girl's school. They really loved me. They took me as their sister. But deep down it was not easy. So you're saying they loved your fellow workers of the students? No, the students. You're saying that they looked down on you? No, they did not look down on me as such. But they loved me as a, so let me say, some loved me as their daughter. Some loved me as their sister. Yeah, but it took at all of me. Did it push you to add something that created this better version of yourself? Oh yeah, it did. It did. It did. Must have been a very interesting experience there. It did. Do you look back on that time and say, wow, I don't regret this or I regret this? In a way, I don't regret that because if I had not gone through that experience, maybe today I would be in someone else's office earning maybe 15,000 or 10,000 or 20,000 and I would be comfortable. So that really pushed me out of my comfort zone. And of course, even as we engage with Johan, I would like you to engage with us on this. I'm sure you already love her story and you're going to hear more about how she even got into the business paying for your own school fees. I wonder how that's possible. It is. It is. Now, Tumba, paying for your own school fees, if someone wants to get a hold of you during this discussion, where, what are your social media handles? Johan Noa, my business pages from Tumba, it's dragged me pretty collection and for the curtain business and interior, it's my happy place interior. Yes. And your personal handle? Johan Noa. Johan Noa. Johan Noa. Yes. Facebook, Twitter, everywhere. Yes. Wonderful. Tag her, talk to her, reach her out. And of course, my handle is at Ramaguko and the station handle Y254 Channel. Johan Yes. Let's fast forward now. How was right now after high school moving to campus and then ending up in the Tumba business? So things happened. After my job, now I had to come to Nairobi for the first time and shock. Shock on you? Shock on me. So, I got to come, I got to college. When I got to college, I had someone who could pay for my fee. So at that time, nili kwa nimi kwa sana na my relatives. So that was my... Muma nga ushago wa yukesu. No, just my relatives and my sister who was staying in Nairobi. So, character development. So I can say that is what led me now to who I am today. So you meet someone and they are like, no, we will pay. I will pay for your school fee because I was supposed to go to study at Kampala International University International Relations. And I was like, no, I cannot do a long distance relationship. Just come to a cheaper college here. I will pay and they gave me money for the whole semester and for my hostel. So I was like, yeah, this is a good deal. So my sister and my parents were like, no, you really have to go pursue international relationship Kampala International University. I was like, no, life already is tough here in Nairobi. How about in another country with the half-scholarship? So I was like, no, I'm going for love and I'm going for the better option. So after a few just before I could do my first exams, we broke up. So when we broke up, I was on my own. Do you remember? I'm not talking to any of my any of my relatives. I'm not getting any support from them. So from there, I had to learn what Nairobi entails. Now this is after you opted out of going for Kampala? Yes. I'm now in Nibs, Nairobi Inter, Nairobi Institute of Business Studies. So you and did you go and do international relations there? I don't know if they are there. No, no, I was doing business management. Business, yes, yes. So that is when I had to learn what Nairobi entails. I normally tell people there are five places that a youth should not know, should not fail to know in Nairobi. So that is Gikomba. There is Uhuru Market. There is Kamkunji. There is Dubois or Dubua. And then there is Isili. If you don't know those five places, where were you? Bado, Ujadjwa. If you don't know that, that is why Bado una teseka. If you don't know those five places, those are places you can go there and work without capital. Trust me Ram. Mention those places again. Nataka uchukwe ka lamuna karatasi na kutoka leo utembe utafute uko ni wapi. Because una teseka. Joa na meza ma, they are suffering because they don't know these five places. Yes, yes. Number one. Gikomba. For all your mutumba and shoes. Mutumba clothes and shoes. Gikomba. Uhuru Market. For all uniforms in Kenya. They are made there. Dubua. For any lady who works around in Nairobi has something from Dubua. You want to say Dubois? Yes, your Dubois. Any lady who works in Nairobi has something from Dubois. From all cosmetics and all accessories. Uhuru. And then there is Kamkunji. All plastics are there. And then there is Isili. Every lady who is wearing a trending outfit. It's either fake or original. So, 100% fakes are in Isili. But they are so close to the original and no one will. Akunam tu takusi ma misha kwa. Let me look at this label. Is it original or fake? So, Isili has a lot of opportunities. It has curtains, it has carpet, it has ladies cloth, it has men's cloth, it has men's suits, it has shoes, it has almost everything. And then there's another one for guys who want to do electronics. Hapa to Lutuli Avenue. So, those are places, those are 506 places that a youth should not fail to know in Nairobi. Because when I was starting my interior decor business, it's now bigger than the Mutumba one. After corona, I had to close my shop because guys were like, ah, gozime toka china zikona corona. So, I had to close my shop. I had just moved to a bigger house. I had my two sisters and my cousin in the house. And then I had to close my shop. I took all my dummies and my mutumbas and put them in my bedroom. So, I started doing online. Wait, wait, wait, wait. You've moved faster than I thought. Wait. Let's take a step back, Joanne. You started going to Nibs, correct? And you now lost your connection with your family and your friends not then longer paying your school fees. What happened then? Because now I'm seeing you talking about Gikomba and the interior decor. What happened after not getting school fees paid? What happened after not getting school fees and it's not that my family was struggling. I come from... Do I say humble or poor? You just say humble. You just say humble. So, I had to prove to my family that I can do this. I do not want to leave school. I do not want to be a dropout. So, I love dressing. So, when I could go to class I would be like, I love your dress. I would be like, okay, you love my dress. Okay, and this dress, I bought it at a hundred shillings. So, how much could I even sell my dresses? If I had to sell it to you, I would not have been able to sell it. Ah, one fifty, two hundred, three. So, I would be able to sell it. Oh, you know so much. I was like, hmm, okay. So, I went to Gikomba. My first, first time I went to... There's a lady, she was in a bale. Now, we have the camera. This is not the top one. The top notch. The ones you'd want to have. So, I was there. I was admiring those clothes. And then I happened to ask this lady, Ini belgani umefungwa. At that time, I'm masking about the bale and I cannot even afford the camera ones. The camera dresses were now from 500 to 1000. Hapani konami asita and I have come for four dresses. She was like, hey, madame, kama hauna pesa sanga. So, I moved to the next one. Now na bale wa nafungwa. I was like, one day I will have to be there and I'll be there when choosing the best dresses. So, Nilianda, I could go to where they sell them at 50 shillings at 100. I select. Na nda na yoshule. I show my friends during break time and they could buy. Pule pule tu, pule pule tu. Do go, if I select 2000, I could even go to Kawash. Nimi wo shagari visuri. I have done salon work. So, any break time I could get, itchenda niko kwenyule amtu. I'm hoking clothes where I'm selling earrings and makeup stuff from Dubois. So, that is when I was in college. So, when I graduated, I now had my first physical shop. So, when you recall it, so you managed to pay your school fees through this? Yes. Yeah. So, when I graduated, even before I graduated, I already had my physical shop. I already moved to a better house than the one I was when I was in college. And during my graduation, my mum came, my relatives came and all was well. So, I was still continuing with my clothing business. And then character development happened and I lost like 50,000 Kenyan shillings in Gikomba. So, at that time that... Were you caught in drama when the story of the school ended? In Gikomba, a lot happens. A lot happens. So, such happened. And then I just had to come back. I have the spirit of resilience. I never gave up. You never gave up? I never gave up. I never stopped praying. I never stopped going to church. So, those are some of the things that keep me going. Even now things are not easy. The current Kenyan economy, things are not easy. But if you know what you want and if you know what you don't want, actually if you know what you don't want, you will keep on going. So, how did you get into the business of interior decor? I got into the business of interior decor during corona. Remember, I had now closed my shop and I had everything back in my house and I had three people in my house. Now you were four and corona is here. They came to your house but... No, I normally stay with my sisters, my younger siblings. Yes. So, and then I had my cousin there. So, at this point I had to think first. The first thought I had was selling omena and bugaya kenyaji which I did for like two months. So, that paid my rent for that time omena and bugaya kenyaji. And then I decided, why can't I just finish this house and make it look beautiful? So, I went to Isili and walked around and bought actually bought the cheapest curtains and I put them there. So, I started taking pictures. I started taking pictures, taking pictures and the guys were like, oh, I love your house. Who did your interior? I was like, mm, okay. Okay, business opportunity there. This is the business opportunity. I love your curtain. So, I was like, mm, okay. So, you are posting those pictures on... On Facebook, on my status, on Instagram. We were like, I love your curtain. I love your house. Who did the interiors? I was like, mm. Okay, then I opened the page. The name of the page? My happy place interior. I opened the page. It was, it's free. It's free. Opening a page on social media is totally free. So, I did that. And then I went to the guy who supplied me with these curtains and the fundi who made these curtains for me. And then I was like, I want to do this. And the fundi was like, okay, just get pictures. And then I went to social media on people's pages and I took pictures, the pictures of things that I normally see. So, my interior decor business, I began with absolutely no capital. No capital. So, what I would do, this is what you want, yes. So, you have to pay the payment of 60%. And then in Tarenda, I'll get the material. I'll get them shonad. And then I will deliver them to you. And then you pay me my 40%. So, that is what I still do up to now. So, hey. So, it just started like a joke. You posted a picture of your house. Yes. Someone likes it. And then you're like, okay, if you'd like this, give me a down payment of this price. And this can't be your own design. So, do you have fundi that you work with? Yes, I have a fundi on my payroll now. So, now you're creating employment for the people now? Yes. For how many businesses now? For how many? Two, just the two. Two, one. So, when you look at these two businesses so far, I'm trying to consider COVID. How was it trying to get back on your feet after COVID? Immediately when COVID came, it was tough. But when COVID was ending, I was already into the interior business and it was purely online. At that time, I did not have a physical shop. It was purely online. So, what I could do is market, market, market, market, market. I could market and then now it got to a point when I had sold to all my friends. All my friends who needed curtains, had curtains, who needed carpets, had carpets. So, I had to think again, what else can I do? Beside selling curtains and carpets, now I got into corporates doing office blinds, doing office carpets, doing paintings, doing wallpapers. So, the only what everyone should know, just know where to get what. So, no where the materials are found? Yes. Do you do this? Oh, yes. Don't say no. No, you don't say no. In Nairobi you don't say no to a business opportunity where you have to supply raw materials. You don't say no. Don't say no. Don't say no. If you know those five places, don't say no. If you go to a school and you can supply uniforms, go to Huro Market, get those uniforms. If you get a tender of supplying electronics, go to Lutili Avenue, get electronics. I love what you are saying. You are saying, in Nairobi, you don't say no. You don't say no. Actually, at some point, my first corporate job, that was my biggest, biggest job I've ever done. I had no idea. Money was already in my account. How did you manage to get all these different clients for these different jobs? Referrals. Referrals. Referrals. That's why I make a lot of noise on social media. I make legal noise and good noise. So that's why from there, when you keep people updated, they know anytime they think of, anytime they want to say, do you know someone who can do this? Oh, there's a lady. There's a lady. There's a lady. So through referrals, that is how I get my clients. You must have been good with your mouth, with your language, for them even to refine you. Yeah, you get to our office. The board members are there. So tell us how are you going to make this place look more beautiful? And you have everything. You have slides. But you have no idea. From there, when money is in your account, it will come back to you. It will come back to you. It will come back to you. It's like, oh yeah, there's no other way. So the only thing that helped me, as I said, knowing these five places in Nairobi. Yeah. Knowing these five places? Yes. But then I'm asking Johan, there must have been those silly mistakes you must have made or a time where you cut yourself short or something. There's so many. There's so many. I have been robbed at gunpoint. What? Robbed. Robbed at gunpoint from Isili. At that time, I had an order worth 100,000. That was my first order for curtains for a bigger house. I had an order worth 100,000. And at that time, you were like, let me save. So I took my tattoo and then I bought seats. Tuna nunua vitu konyuman, then you put your stuff. Isoma curtains. Isoma curtains, carpets, wool papers. Those things are expensive. Curtains are not cheap. Curtains can cost you up to a million for a bigger house, a good house. So it's like these robbers know. When they see you shopping, when they see you packing your things, they know what you're carrying and they know the value. So when we got there, I was not the only one who was robbed. We were robbed several of us. So there's like madame toa persams. Like pesayangu yote, yukoko agunia na ikonumaya dairy. So they were like, what do you have? I have curtains there. I have carpets there. I have wool papers there. What is their worth? Nukambe around 80,000 to 100,000. So they were like, okay. Send to pesimu. So at that time I had a jumpsuit. Wali rarua yote. And then they passed in them. So from your body? Yes, yes, yes. And then they took, I was only left with one shoe. Ni kachua savei. So it was around sambilia usiku sasa. I mean survey. I had my phone. Nili kwa ni mefichu asimu chinia kiti. Then I was like, atasimu ni mefunga, yukoko you get everything there. So when I was left at survey, I was hopeless. Remember this is a client's order and you already paid everything. So part of the profit pia maybe umeshatu nia you have paid your rent or you have paid something else. So I took a, nili yomba lift mba kagidurai. I stay in Kasarani. Nili yomba lift mba kagidurai and then I called my cousin to come and pick me. So that was one, another one. Wait, wait, wait. Didn't this client feel like you count them? No, no. You told them that you're robbed? They understood. They knew you're robbed? They knew I was robbed. But I had to. They gave me time to do the work. So you had to look for money to do that work again? So any time I could get an order all the proceeds would go to that client's order. So nili yomba na dirisha moja I did the next one. Nikamalisa living room. Then I went to the dining. Pile pile tu. I did it until I was done. So it also depended with how you relate to your client. Trust. Yes. It also depended with how you relate to your clients. Very, very important. All right. So that was one instance? That was one instance. The next one, no that was the last one. When I was taking a matatu when I was doing serious business apatugi komba I was like no I want to I want to boost my mtomba business. And then I was drugged. Ikaji kutakam kunji Nikona matupe I had a very big jacket because they are very early in the morning. So nimenda okofaif nimefanya shopping Umena kikomba Nikaji patakam kunji and everything. So mkukoteni guy who was taking me to a matatu disappeared with everything and that is so, so common in Nairobi and Gikomba. So you say mkukoteni guy that drugged you. So I'm gaining consciousness at 3 3 in the evening. Nili tokaji komba satano. 3 in the evening. When I go for talk I normally alert my clients. I tell them hey we have a new stock today kindly passed by the shop you see if you could find something nice. So my clients were there because they always went they were waiting at the shop. And this is 11 a.m. This is 11 a.m. Nakuja na jijua at 3 Sina fea Sina eniki And what this time you were just lying on the road. Maybe people thought maybe me in Chokora or something because the way we dressed going to Gikomba it's not seen by listener in Chokora. You have the boots there and then you have a jacket weva kamavin. So someone thought you were in Chokora. Did you have your specs? No no and that time I did not have my specs. My room. So I told them I was just lying on the road and they told me I am Sina fea and they told me I was just lying on the road because my mum was in Chukwe fea and she was like I was just lying on the road and they told me I was just lying on the road and they told me I will pay you Dabo so at that time I was like an object so we were in Chukwe fea so at that time on the road it was a noise I was like I have my life is ending why can't we just have an accident where I have no idea and my mum was like what's happening to me and I was like Ushago? We told you, our village is a village, it's a village that has a lot of people. So it's like, niru di Ushago, we don't even have water, we don't even have electricity. So that is when we say, you left home to change home and you have to do all it takes to make sure you don't go back and join those people. Get them out of that place. Because you are, at the back of your head, you know where you are coming from. You know your background. You know giving up is not, you cannot even think of giving up. Una give up unendawa pi, una aje sasa. Aje. So again, I bounced back and then bouncing back and then corona comes and you're like, wow. Okay. We are still not going home. Come what may, we are still not going home. We are not having premature marriages. I'm not moving into a guy's house. I will make it. Did that come in your mind? At some point? Guys were like, you know, there are some people who interact with the ladies, ah, why can't you just move in? How do I move in? I love who? Did someone propose to you slender wulewe? No, okay. I don't think I have friends who can tell me that I'm a wulewe. But I have guys who could tell me if you just come, I will take care of you and that is a mistake most ladies do. Because you don't have money and you believe he will take care of you. Yeah, and you believe he will take care of you. Just come, I will take care of you. So it has come. Mm-mm. Don't. Don't. Ladies, muna ske manano? Don't. Never be at the maximum of somebody. Because if they get you there, haukwa nakitu. Nimi mi nili kuja nikaku sa idea, so what? Do you don't even have a voice? And you get there, you start having babies and the first baby two years backwards now. Two years numa, in akuru disha, two years numa. Because you now have to take care of the baby and at some point now you have to take care of your husband and now you have two babies in the house. So, jikaze tu. I know it's hard, but jikaze tu. Jikaze tu. Yeah, jikaze tu. John, what are some of those memorable milestones, those memorable moments that you've had during this whole period? We, as of now I can say, I have grown. I'm still growing. I have not reached where my goals. I have not gotten even close to my goals, but I have grown and I'm still growing. My first house, in Kwanzaa, it is 1500. It is now in Mabati. You know, Mabati is now in Mlaungani Mbao. So, instead of you two go to Mbao and then you are saying it's louder than the door. So, you have been living in a steamer during the day and then you steamer is on the landlord and then you see how it is to steam it. What is the difference between you picking and working in a coil? ya kuhinei, ya kuhinei kufilia, kwa maikata stoimaa kusitimaa maikata kia nilini wo nanya kwa maikata kufili kwa maikata kiyoma kini na kakatatuli kwenia kike kwa maikati kelsimu na kone kama kote na kama kupa nilini wow, muiki una thi k sucha niku e kgiehase na kukuhuru hi iroo. ..sine ya odisha kwa watu ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... We are 7 You are 7? Yes We are 7 You are a strong lady So there is no option, as a lady if you are privileged to be in Nairobi there are so many opportunities in Nairobi I want us to meet this discussion to close Najoan and I want you to talk to your fellow sisters watching it today and give us a parting shot your final words talk to them, that's your camera there So to any lady watching this today there are times you can look good and people will even question if that is the real you So when those times come look good but you have to make sure you are finding this looking good If you know these 5 places in Nairobi take a walk and know where you can go when things go bad employment is good you can always sustain it to the side household Most of these businesses you can start with as low as 2000 with as low as 5000 the amount that you have what determines your success is how far you want to go and how do you interact with people Alright Thank you so much Johan Once again How can someone find you on social media platform? Johan Noah Johan N-O-U-A-H that is Noah My business pages address me pretty collection and my happy place interiors My happy place interiors deal with all kind of interior decor and services We offer curtains and carpets wallpapers, paintings wall hanging address me pretty collection deal with all ladies cloths and children cloths Johan I wish you the best Keep doing what you're doing you're a strong lady You've inspired me personally I love your story Of course that is the story of Johan I hope you've been inspired That's the strength of a woman Alright My name is Ram Maguko We still have more coming up your way Keep it when the morning