Florence Kamaitha is a big name in the blogging world, but her achievements don’t end there. She is a Mandela Washington Fellow (2014), A Vital Voices Fellow (2015), a recipient of the Heroes Award by Nation Media Group and a Tony Elumelu top 1000 entrepreneurs in Africa. In 2014, she was selected by the former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama to be in her taskforce of 40 Young African Leaders to deliberate on challenges affecting young girls in schools. She has written a book on menstrual hygiene, and through her startup Pad Haven, manufactured reusable sanitary towels to keep young girls in school.
Her exuberant personality and her dedication to empowering the girl child has changed more girls’ lives than she will ever fathom. She is an inspiration and our blogger of the week. We had some few questions for her, and this is what she had to say:
Give us a brief profile of yourself.
I am a serial entrepreneur focussing on manufacturing, I am an author of adolescent books and a girl champion. I run a blog about business for women entrepreneurs, called Her Business.
What attracted/ inspired you into blogging?
My friend Wamathai encouraged me to write about my business journey as well as share resources with other aspiring entrepreneurs.
What accomplishments are you proud of most?
Producing over 100,000 sanitary pads for girls in schools.
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Bold, Risk Taker, Relentless
What is your fav food, song, book, movie?
Fav food is definitely chicken. song: anything by Luther Vandross. Movie, I have like a million but My Best Friend’s Wedding is my best because I have watched it a million times.
If you could time travel, where would you go?
Zanzibar
If you were not a blogger, what would you be instead?
Seeing that being a blogger is my night job, I would choose another night job. Like, be a mistress in a high-end brothel that is legal.
Where do you see yourself, in five years?
Living out of Nairobi, doing a million DIYs from my home and travelling with my 110 Defender
What is the funniest/strangest thing you’ve ever seen a stranger do?
Strangers online who post their children in pain, crying, falling. like put the phone down and help the child, you crazy mama!
Any interesting hobbies, obsessions?
My hobbies are DIYs at home. Like now I am making scented candles and room sprays for sale, straight from my kitchen.
Is there a quote/mantra you live by?
This too shall pass
If you were a superhero, who would you be and why?
Ant woman. Then I can make myself small so I can disappear from places once in a while.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
If constantly do things for others while forgetting yourself, they have no obligation to return the favour. And they will still ask you ‘did we ask you to do it’ and they will be right. So always do things for yourself.
Florence has a lot to share with the world and her light will not go off any time soon. Find her on her socials, @kamaitha on Twitter and Florence Kamaitha on Facebook. You can also read her blog, Her Business.