Nelson Chege, a man from Kiambu County, made the brave decision to leave his career as a jet fighter pilot for the military in search of a more peaceful and fulfilling life.

He took a risk, knowing that life as an ex-soldier was uncertain, but it had paid off for him in the form of a successful posho mill business.

Chege’s time in the military was not an easy one. He nearly died on the battlefield, and the scar on his face serves as a reminder of the dangers he faced. He was always on high alert, never knowing when the enemy would strike.

“After escaping death by a whisker in the battlefield, I didn’t think twice about quitting,” he said in a past interview.

It was during his visits back to his village that Chege noticed a gap in the market for a posho mill. He observed that most farmers produced maize and fancy posho maize meal, but the nearest posho mill was about seven kilometers away.

He saw an opportunity to provide a service that was lacking in the community.

In 2003, after serving in the military for ten years, Chege decided to leave and pursue his dream of starting a posho mill business. He used part of his savings, worth Sh700,000, to purchase a milling machine and began the journey of entrepreneurship.

The early days were not easy, as Chege struggled to make a profit. He had to move his milling machine to various places in Nairobi, incurring countless losses before he realized that an open-air market was the best location for his business.

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Chege saw the potential in the market and noted how the cost of maize goes up just before the next harvest.

He recognized that most villagers frequent the market on Tuesdays and Fridays, so he captured this opportunity and established his business there. It wasn’t long before his business began to thrive.

Since its establishment in 2011, Hekima Posho Mill in Kiambu town has been proudly owned by Chege. His unwavering dedication and ability to cultivate a robust customer base has allowed his business to thrive and generate profits beyond his initial expectations.

Chege produces maize from his farm located in Githiga village, which he supplements with ten bags of maize he buys from other farmers.

As of 2018, He sold a pack of 2kg of maize at Sh80, which gave him a profit of Sh550 profit from every 90kg bag sold. Meanwhile, clients would pay Sh15 per kilo of maize milled.

The single-phase machine, which he bought in Nairobi, cost him about Sh3,000 in electricity bills per month.

“This business helps people who cannot afford the costly packed maize meal. Besides, most households prefer the posho maize meal because it’s more affordable and nutritious,” said the father-of-two.