Whether it’s a piano for a budding pianist, or a mathematics textbook for a talented student, access to specific resources can open the world to the right person.
Two Ugandan refugees we met in Nairobi were looking for exactly that. They’d fled Uganda after the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in 2013, and came to Kenya to seek refuge. The two met and became fast friends, realizing they had so much in common.
Both had been trained as beauticians in Uganda — one specializing in hair and nails, and the other in makeup. They had a dream of opening their own spa together.
We wanted to help them make this dream come true. So after spending a couple of weeks looking for a space, they finally decided on a small site tucked in between a number of other shops, and close to a main road that would direct a lot of traffic their way.
We covered the first few months rent and helped with a deposit. Then they were off and running – a new spa, and a new beginning!
“We have been wanting to work ever since we came to Kenya,” said one of the new owners. “It’s been hard to just be here and feel like we are sitting out our hands. We’re so excited to finally have our own space and start earning money this way!”
