In which area of life have you been most successful and comfortable to share with the world about?
Savings: for a better tomorrow.
What inspired you to pursue this journey, and how did you overcome initial challenges? What inspired me was my desire to achieve greater in life . I saw others doing things far beyond the ordinary and the question popped, "why not me." I started from scratch having worked as a housekeeper and matron at Salient school and later as a secretary at Nyandarua high school from 1994. After working as a secretary for 21years, I realized it was not all i needed in life and i lacked personal growth. I decided to quit not knowing where I was headed. There was an ongoing project that dealt with selling airtime through my own mobile phone and I ventured into it making sales to a great number of customers and it became a means for me to make money. This resonated with my love for interaction with people and the desire to help others. Unfortunately, it only lasted for six months after I secured employment as a sales executive by Tower Sacco, Ol-kalou branch. I worked hard for three years to recruit as many people as possible into the savings community and i partially had to quit and take on the role of my mother's primary caregiver after she got ill. While working at Tower Sacco, the first lady Ann Thuita of the previous Nyandarua County governor at the time was running a project to empower women by instilling various skills in them. I enrolled for the classes while still working and was taught various skills including cooking, food preparation and marketing. After quitting my job I used the cooking skills acquired in the training to start a fruit juice blending business using the knowledge from my mother's illness i would sell to people promoting the consumption of healthy fruit drinks. Schools would buy my juices through the teachers and that became my source of livelihood for a while.
Later on I went back to Tower Sacco as their Brand ambassador, teaching and empowering people into opening an account with our savings Sacco. I can say i was a really efficient hard worker and my efforts were rewarded as early this year, I was promoted to the Regional Tower Assurance Sales Representative, representing Nyahururu Ol-kalou and Ndaragwa. It's been a journey as I recall one time, I was sent to Rumuruti, a remote region where the common residents are the Masai and Turkana communities. I went door to door educating them on how they can save funds , gain more and even acquire loans. It was tough task as most of them are illiterate and not familiar with the technological advancements of the modern age. This made it extremely hard to convince them as they thought I was playing tricks on them while promoting the services of our Sacco. I didn't give up and i managed to make them understand that it is a good choice to invest through us . Majority ended up opening accounts and started their saving journey which led me to push my seniors to set up a Sacco branch in that area and I can proudly say it's operational to date , serving the people of that region.
My passion and enjoyment of interactions with everyone at large but primarily with the elderly, women and children is what has pushed me to where I am. I have an activity i conduct where I bring together elderly people from my area and bring them to my house, interact and spend time with them, cook for them and then take them back to their homes. As for the children, I gather most of them from my area Rurii and Kasuku, take them to fun trips where we enjoy spending time together.
Life challenges were always present but i persevered knowing i posses potential in me to keep pushing for myself and others in order to fulfil my greater course in life.
I decided nothing would hold me back from providing service to others and i always ask God for direction when challenged.
Please share a significant moment or decision that played a significant role in your success?
When I decided to quit my secretarial work and lacking direction in what to do, I started selling airtime to a large number of people and even though it didn't last for long, it made me realize that there was an inner urge for me to provide service to others. It became clear to me that I was so good in empathetic interactions and something much more bigger and stronger could come out of it. Till to date, I have seen my efforts work as I have empowered, taught and recruited many others into the saving's journey which we all know, is tomorrow's future.
How do you navigate work-life balance and maintain your well-being amidst the success?
I am very good at time management. I accord everything on my way the attention it calls for. I am a married woman to Mr. Kaguta and together we are blessed with three beautiful children; one daughter and two sons.
Being selfless, I can say that most of my life i have been able to make a living serving people and this calls for a lot. I have mastered the art of being there for everyone.
What advice would you give to aspiring women on a similar journey or who dream of the same kind of success?
Know what you want and get out there, go get it. If you don't push yourself, nobody will. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF! I did it and so can you. The world can accommodate us all so don't compare yourself with your peers who are way ahead and avoid getting into competition. Take your time, walk your pace and you'll get there.
Put God first in everything you do , ask for His guidance and believe him.
In the face of setbacks, how do you stay resilient and continue to thrive in your journey?
I take every opportunity I get. I give no room for procrastination. If I set my eyes on something, I'll for sure achieve it.
I am a go getter and I believe nothing with be offered to me on a silver platter.
We are grateful to Janet for allowing us to share her journey. If you need support in navigating your own journey like Janet has done, please let us know.
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