Betty’s Bead-Making Business: Struggling to Survive Despite Her Determination
Betty says that she can currently make only about KSh 600 in a day from approximately five clients. The low number of customers has made it difficult for her to meet her daily needs and sustain her business.
Bead making bussiness in Eldoret. Photo: Courtesy
By Judith Waka
Betty is a bead maker living in Langas, Eldoret, who has turned her creativity and skills into a source of livelihood. When she first started her bead-making business, sales were promising and the business was doing well. However, her situation has changed, and she is now struggling with declining sales.
Betty says that she can currently make only about KSh 600 in a day from approximately five clients. The low number of customers has made it difficult for her to meet her daily needs and sustain her business.
Apart from low sales, Betty also faces challenges from county enforcement officers. She says she has experienced harassment from the municipal authorities and that her beadwork products have sometimes been confiscated. According to Betty, these experiences make it difficult for her to operate her business with a sense of security.
Betty believes that government support could help small-scale traders like her overcome some of these challenges. She is calling on the government to provide shaded stalls or designated spaces where she can conduct her business in a safe and secure environment without constant fear of harassment or losing her products.
She is also appealing for government funding or affordable loans to help her grow and improve her business. With financial support, Betty believes she could increase her stock, attract more customers and build a more sustainable source of income.
Despite the challenges, Betty remains determined to continue working. Her greatest motivation is her children, whom she wants to support and educate. She hopes that through her bead-making business, she can give them better opportunities and help them build a brighter future.
Betty’s story reflects the struggles faced by many small-scale entrepreneurs who rely on informal businesses to support their families. For her, bead making is more than just a business—it is a means of survival, independence and hope for a better future for her children.
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