Kelvin Mbuthia’s love for cars led him into the Automotive Engineering business

David Kiarie

January 7, 2021 7:35 AM

For Kelvin Mbuthia, it is his love for cars from an early age that saw him join KCB Foundation’s 2jiajiri programme so that he could relive a dream he had as a kid.

Mr. Kelvin Mbuthia at work.

Before that, he did menial jobs and it was in one where he worked as a site man, that he first saw an advertisement on the 2jiajiri programme, from a newspaper that his then-boss had come with. In December of the same year, he visited his parents in the village and his mother reminded him of the love he had for cars, as she encouraged him to apply for the skills program.

Mr. Mbuthia who currently owns an Auto-Garage based in Membley, Ruiru decided to go to school, and he walked into the KCB Nyeri branch where he did his application and selected Nyeri National Polytechnic as his school of choice because it was closer to home.

Shortly after joining, he started drafting an idea of setting up his garage, in consultation with 2jiajiri whom he had requested to also help him set it up. He adds that one meeting with the then KCB Foundation Executive Director who had visited their institution opened up another opportunity to grow his skills after pitching his business idea to her.

“She said it’s a very good business idea and the only way I can help you is to give skills,” said Mbuthia.

She selected a few other students from his class, they went for interviews, and soon after, they joined the Toyota Kenya academy, and three years down the line, he does not regret joining 2jiajiri.

Kelvin says his desire for independence is another driving force that gets him out of bed to do what he does best.

Kevin Mbuthia acknowledges that 2jiajiri has made a very big impact in his life by equipping him with knowledge, skills, exposure, and a network that has made him independent, and it’s a program he highly recommends to young people, because it is making a real difference in the society, by giving people a way to a livelihood.

Established in 2016, 2jiajiri is part of KCB Group’s support towards uplifting society through skills development and job creation among youth. The programme empowers and equips unemployed and out-of-school youth in the informal sector to start and grow micro enterprises.

2jiajiri has the wider economic benefit of having each of these budding entrepreneurs employ five people, each with the bigger goal of creating over one million jobs in five years.

David Kiarie