For many years, students in Kenya have relied heavily on loans from the government’s Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to cover their tuition fees and living expenses while studying at universities. Moses Muriithi Kihunii, an engineering student at Kenyatta University, was one of these students. However, he saw the loan as an opportunity to venture into business and explore different markets, which not only increased his income but also allowed him to start a real estate company and offer jobs to other young Kenyans.
After graduating with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering in 2013, Muriithi realized that the job market would be flooded with thousands of graduates and decided to become self-employed. He used his HELB loan to purchase an online writing account for nearly Ksh40,000 and balanced his studies with his newfound venture. “I knew from the start I would want to be self-employed, that’s why I focused on raising my startup capital while at the campus. I saved some funds from my HELB loans and acquired an online account,” he explained.
Although Muriithi faced some setbacks, including losing his first online account, he remained determined to succeed. He saved again and bought another writing account, which proved to be successful. From the profits he made, he ventured into real estate by purchasing plots and later selling them at a profit. “I worked with online accounts for a period of three years between 2012- 2015. I set goals and listed what I wanted to do with the funds. I decided to purchase two or three parcels of land each year,” he added.
By the time Muriithi graduated, he had several plots in prime areas within the Nairobi metropolis. He then decided to register a company, Fanaka Real Estate, in 2015. The company has successfully helped clients purchase prime plots, ensuring that all legal aspects are adhered to. “Many clients occasionally avoid investing because they are suspicious of the fraudsters’ syndicates and schemes. I worked hard to establish a reputation
