Mama Safi Owner Grace Wangechi Is An Aeronautical Engineer

US President Abraham Lincoln is attributed to have said, “Things may come to those who wait…but only the things left by those who hustle."

True to the famous phrase, those who make plans and work hard at achieving their goals have higher chances of success.

For Grace Wangechi, missing out on formal employment forced her to innovate and venture into a different field.

In an interview with [I]Kenyans.co.ke[/I], the mother of one disclosed that she was not successful in landing a job after graduating with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

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Mama Safi Owner Grace Wangechi

“I tarmacked for two years and then decided to move to Kasarani in 2012,” she stated, opting to start a garbage collection business.

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It is at that time that the mother of one started cleaning services by collecting garbage from a handful of houses within the estate.

“I started with a wheelbarrow and later moved to a handcart which I used to rent,” she stated.

Wangechi grew the business as she expanded to several houses in the area collecting garbage three to four times a week.

Later on, during a meeting with other women in the area, the name Mama Safi was birthed. Her business has also provided employment to young men in the area.

“I have three people who also collect garbage and I pay them KSh800 a day,” she revealed.

Mama Safi also ventured into the recycling of plastic materials before dumping other waste at a nearby dumpsite.

She explained that among her challenges was when her eight-year daughter learned that she was a garbage collector from a classmate.

“She wanted me to have a job where I go to the office and carry a handbag but I explained to her the situation and eventually she came to understand,” the businesswoman stated.

aeronautical engineering is good but has very few employers…innovating was/is the only way to go.

There’s no such course in Kenya, what she has is a diploma, the ebk doesn’t recognize her degree, so she’s not qualified to use it for employment.

Unajuaje alisomea Kenya? China na Russia ziko na Wakenya wengi wanasomea Aeronautical Engineering.

So mtasema hamjaona ni singo matha

it doesn’t matter kama alisomea majuu, ebk still doesn’t recognize it and the degree has no market, you can only be employed as a technician to repair kq aeroplanes which only requires diploma, you can’t practice as an engineer. Na kama alisomea majuu she can go back to work majuu, so excuse yake isn’t representative of a person who studied abroad, plus as an engineer she can also work in banks and other financial institutions in Kenya if indeed her majuu degree is legit. So it’s very unlikely, there are several colleges that have not been certified and have been duping student with kienyeji degrees so it isn’t the first time I’m hearing of this.

That’s not true. I know someone personally who studied aeronautical engineering abroad and got a job at KQ as an engineer. Actually make that 2 people. One studied in Russia and another in Canada. The second did not work at KQ though. But the first was in KQ for a while before moving to Qatar.

They don’t do engineering, what they do is technician work, repairing engines or supervising other technicians or if you are lucky, you get a managerial position. So yes you can work if you have one, but Kenyan universities don’t offer one. And the ebk doesn’t allow you to practice engineering.

Well if you are earning an engineering salary. And doing an engineers job. Doesn’t matter if they call you a fundi, does it?

it does if you want to negotiate salaries, or climb ladder of engineering titles or even start your own engineering company as per ebk laws, it’s like a doctor, you have to have a license to practice.

I know they are both making major bank. And aeronautical engineers keep leaving Kenya anyway. The KQ one left Kenya kitambo and went to Qatar where she is now a senior. The other one works for Boeing and she is in charge of Eastern Africa, though she is relocating to Australia soon. So you can actually work and grow in the field.

Cheki, na hii udaku yote si ufirwe tu tutakuelewa

Najiskia nitembee South C soon. It’s been a while since I heard the sweet sound of a Somali moaning.

What of all the private companies across the country that maintain aircraft…that must be signed off as fit to fly by those licenced by the CAA with what they call an Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Licence(at KQ too)…are they not considered engineers by the EBK?I heard technicians cannot sign off aircraft as fit to fly…

DynCorp in Afghanistan and other OCONUS theatres hires a lot of aeronautical technicians as they have contracts to maintain USAF choppers. Saw a guy who used to work at Wilson, he makes good money in Kandahar Air Field.

apo amefeli kwa mothe daughter relationship

angemwambia zamani sana, also should have moulded her to have higher esteem while young

otherwise, a good venture