Samson Ndung'u was a household
name in the boda boda sheds of Saba
Saba town, Murang'a town.
Like many youth who are unable to
proceed with education after secondary
school education, Ndung'u was
recruited by a local businessman to be
his boda boda rider.
"I was expected to give him Sh 300,
every day, come rain come sunshine,"
says the 23 year old Ndung'u.
Like many boda boda riders, his bike
had a radio mounted on it. As he
listened to a Mkulima Young radio
programmes, Ndungu heard how young
people were making money in
agriculture. He decided to venture in it
at his parents' farm.
Today, Ndung'u's departure from the
boda boda sheds in March this year is
perhaps the best thing that has
happened to his life so far.
From a meager Sh 300 earnings a day,
Ndung'u is now able to rake in Sh
24,000 a month from his farm.
"I get at least Sh 6,000 every week. I
guess this is more than the salary of a
teacher or many civil servants. I am
happy in the shamba," he says.
Ndung'u plants tomatoes, spinach,
cucumber, and capsicum which he sells
to traders from as far as Thika town.
Market for his produce is no longer a
problem. It was jumpstarted by the
Mkulima Soko, the marketing platform
of Mkulima Young's digital youth
farmers hub.
"I had a cheap phone that had no
internet. I bought a digital phone and
I now just take the pictures, post them
on the Soko website and calls start
streaming in," says Ndung'u.
He urges his fellow youth to discard
the notion that having a job is only
when one is employed. He says self-
employment is quite stress free
"During my boda boda days, my heart
would beat fast if I had not made
enough money for the owner of the
bike. Today, people come to my farm
and leave me with money," he says.
original arricle appeared on mkulimayoung.com
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