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Mama Mboga has been the topic of discussion in far too many forums. Laws have even been passed and institutions created to ensure Mama Mboga doesn’t lack. MFIs are cropping up everywhere, the song keeps being sang ‘ help the micro-enterprises, help the youth, help the women, help the ‘small’ man’. If , I had a shilling for every time I have heard the micro- enterprise song..I could easily buy myself an island in Hawaii!
Here’s my question. How many billions have been spent to date trying to ‘help’ mama Mboga? Do you think Mama Mboga is still where she was five years ago? Actually if she’s an entrepreneur she’s probably supplying Nakumatt or Uchumi or both! Now , does she need 50,000 anymore? NO! She needs 5 million to buy a packaging plant to start exporting fresh produce!! So with this 50,000 you expect her to do that how? Mama Mboga is asking you to EVOLVE!!! But you are too busy singing the same song of 5 years ago to help her!!
Mama Mboga is paying taxes, she pays up to Ksh. 100,000 a year to KRA, Mama Mboga is ready to list in the SMEexchange and give other Kenyans a chance to share in her success. Mama Mboga is ready to pay back what she owes society from her days of receiving micro-finance!
One problem though…no collateral..no MFI is willing to lend her Kshs. 5 million.
My point, it’s all fine and dandy that we helped Mama Mboga to get where she is now. How about we help her PAY BACK! Help her when it REALLY matters to us!! She is about to become a mega tax payer and an equally mega employer!! She no longer needs her nephew to count her money. She is hiring a graduate accountant, a graduate inventory manager, a graduate transport manager. All her employees have medical cover, all have pension plans.
Problem: We are still too busy crying micro to realize that SHE is the NEAR FUTURE of a PROSPEROUS Kenya!
Photo Courtesy of lightingafrica.org
