Meet Elizabeth Nyambura, a former beauty therapy lecturer whose fortunes drastically changed when she lost her job during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, she is the CEO of Meditouch Therapy Centre in Thika, running state-of-the-art barbershop and massage parlour that earn her over Sh400, 000 a month.
When schools closed in 2020 at the height of the Covid 19 epidemic, Nyambura suddenly found herself unemployed, with rent arrears mounting and two children to feed. That night, she could not sleep. But instead of surrendering to despair, she reached for the only tool she had left, a shaving machine she used on her son, and embarked on a journey that would transform her life.
“I was disappointed and stressed after losing my job, but I did not have the time to feel sorry for myself. I had two children to feed. I had to do something quickly,” she recalls.
Nyambura began offering door-to-door barber services, braving ridicule and hardship while carrying her machine through estates and streets.
“While moving door to door with the shaving machine, I saw an opportunity. It was a difficult period securing rent and feeding the family since the shaving job was not paying enough. I even contemplated suicide due to the overwhelming challenges. However, I soldiered on,” she said.” she says.
With determination, she built a loyal clientele, later secured a loan of Sh200, 000, and set up her own business.
“The businesses grew slowly due to stiff competition and I was even considering giving up to try other things. However, I was financially insecure and used to ask opinions from friends and other family members who encouraged me. I then had a pool of loyal clientele who pushed me and slowly, things became encouraging and the business began growing,” she said.
With the proceeds from her investments, Nyambura has managed to educate one of her children through college and the other in high school. “I can only attribute this financial breakthrough to resilience and hard work. It has made me educate and fend for my family,”
Today, Meditouch Therapy Centre has not only secured her financial freedom but also created jobs for other young women.
For Nyambura, the journey is far from over. Her ultimate vision is to open a training college where she can empower others with barbering and therapy skills. “I hope in the coming years to open a beauty college to tap into this big beauty industry, given the huge demand of the courses,” said Nyambura.
Her employees, Damaris Mumbi and Mercy Muthoni, say the job opportunities in the establishments have transformed their lives.
Muthoni describes her employer not just as a boss, but as a friend who has mentored her in skills like massage therapy and client handling.
“The boss is very supportive. She listens and even helps me with personal issues. Her story inspires me, and I believe one day I can also own a business and employ others,” she says.
Nyambura’s story is not just one of survival, but of breaking gender barriers. In a field largely considered the domain of men, she has proven that women can not only compete but thrive.
“The jobs that are perceived as mainly for men often pay well and can change women’s financial status quickly,” she explains.
Her success is inspiring other women to consider male-dominated manual jobs as a path to financial independence.
From walking the streets with a shaving machine to running a busy enterprise, Nyambura embodies resilience, risk-taking, and the transformative power of determination. “I did not give up on my dream despite the mocking and discouragement. I took the risk of taking a loan and it paid off. I persevered because I believed one day I would overcome,” she reflects.
In her story, countless women see not just a barber with clippers, but a trailblazer carving a new path for others to follow.
By Kelvin Kathurima and Muoki Charles
