28-year-old Paul Kiarie is a proud homeowner since moving into his hard-earned 2-bedroomed home from a mabati house on January 10th.
The most inspiring part of this home-building process is that he funded the construction process with proceeds from his Boda Boda business.
Many undermine the business’ returns, but Paul Kiarie shows just how much a person can best capitalize on little earnings.
Asked about how he managed to build a two-bedroom bungalow, Paul said that he initially started with Sh. 10,000 capital. He also did not save for the house since large savings would have been tempting for him.
He recalled how he once saved up to Sh. 30,000 previously and took his family to Mombasa, and returned home with nothing.
“I had saved up to Sh. 30,000 earlier but ended up taking my family to Mombasa and went back to zero,” he remembered.
From this, he learned how to start small with what he had instead of saving large amounts.
Determined to start his construction, Paul moved his family from a decent one-bedroom house he was paying Sh. 5,000 rent, to a smaller one bedroom he paid Sh. 4,000. Later, he moved to a mabati house where they lived for 2 years.
Paul broke ground on January 2, 2022. He started by buying 800 blocks for Sh. 43,000, a lorry of red sand and black sand for Sh. 16,000 and Sh. 9,000. He committed to all these payments in installments.
It was vital for Paul Kiarie to earn the trust of those that provided him with building materials.
“I took them to the site and convinced them if I defaulted they knew where to find me,” he said.
One year later, in 2023, Paul’s 16 ft by 26 ft two-bedroom house was complete, with a sunken lounge, bathroom and an open kitchen.
Furthermore, Paul Kiarie avoided water and electricity bills, by digging a 35 ft borehole that supplies him with water and also installed a solar system.
“Prayer, passion and commitment have been the key because temptations are all over. I also have a supportive wife and one child,” he observed.
Currently, Paul Kiarie states that he will take a break from any financially draining work. He expects to expand the house after five years.
Well done. Starting small is the best.