Unemployment is one of the biggest challenges facing our youths today. Many of them have resorted to dangerous vices like crime and drug abuse for lack of jobs.
But for one Peter Kyalo Mutua popularly known as PK, employment to him is a matter of coming up with ideas and actualizing them.
Mutua, a 33-year-old Diploma in Business and Accountancy from the former Kenya Polytechnic says he chose to venture in tree nurseries business and seedlings for sale due to unemployment.
Born and raised in Mitaboni ward, Kathiani Sub County, Machakos in a poor family of four, PK struggled through primary, secondary and college education because he lacked school fees at some point.
"I couldn't continue with my university education due to lack of funds so I resorted to looking for employment from different organizations but I couldn't find any which could fulfil my curiosity in this life. I decided to go back to tree nursery business," Mutua said.
"I started doing tree seedlings while in Mitaboni primary school when trees were going for as little as Sh3 in the late 1990s and due to my love for the environment, I fell for the 'treepreneurship'. I even dug a small dam for irrigation," he added.
Currently, the young entrepreneur makes at least Sh15,000 per week under normal circumstances and things improve during the rainny season and can make hundreds of thousands from his nursery which holds over 50,000 seedlings.
"We specialize most in Hass and Fuerte avocado seedlings. We also do other types of timber, fruits like pawpaw, mangoes, lemons, oranges, also ornamental seedlings and many more," he noted/
So far PK has been donating and actively participated in tree planting exercises in public institutions including primary schools, police camps, Markets etc
"I have to give back to the community. And I feel good when I improve our environment every day with these trees. I supply trees all over Kenya and that's why we have a Facebook page and a website for any client who wishes to make orders," he noted while advising youths to shun dangerous behaviours and do something productive.
"I make my living through to trees. So everyone can make it," Pk said.
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