Gerald Maina is one of the youth in Kisii County who has gone against all odds to ensure he puts food on his table.
Born into a family of four in Nyandarua County, Maina joined Kisii University in 2010 and graduated three years later with a Diploma in Animal Health.He, however, was forced to open a mobile veterinary clinic after failing to secure employment in government firms and the various NGOs in the region.Soon after graduating in 2013, Maina started visiting local farms in Kisii County, requesting farmers to allow him to attend to their livestock and vaccinate them.His volunteer work started paying off after he created a rapport with the farmers, who now trust him with treating their livestock.Maina says he now makes a minimum of Sh3,000 per day, by answering calls of farmers who pay him to attend to their livestock.The veterinary officer has purchased a motorbike which enables him to access the interior parts of the county, where some of his clients are located."Farmers now call me and I don't have to go around requesting for jobs like in the past. I even attend to farmers who are as far as Rongo," said Maina.
Gerald Maina vaccinating a cow at a local farm in Kisii. [Photo/ Stephen Mwaniki]
“My day begins at 8am and ends after I attend to all the clients I had lined up for the day,” he adds.Maina said the main challenge he faces is language barrier because a section of his clients is unable to communicate in English and Swahili.Poor road networks also pose a challenge to Maina, as some of his clients’ farms become inaccessible especially during the rainy season.The vet says hard work and determination are his strongest traits, as he is now able to handle complex cases. "Kenyan youth should not just sit and wait for employment. They should defy the odds by coming up with various means of earning a living through self-employment. Hard work is the key to success," said Maina.#jobprofiles