She saw an opportunity and grabbed at it

Less than five years ago, Mrs Chesiyna Chepkurui was a primary school teacher earning Sh5,000 a month.

Today, she is a businesswoman to reckon with and is no stranger to a six-figure pay.

This is no small wonder because not many women are known to call the shots in real estate and land buying companies as the field is still perceived to be a man’s domain.

In Nakuru County, for instance, not a single property investment company is owned by a woman.

However, her entry into this market is causing ripples. “I want to cut the runaway male dominance in this field and I’m prepared to take the risks,” says Mrs Chepkurui.

If the number of clients who line up at her office at Gate House in Nakuru town is anything to go by, then it will be no surprise when that pledge is fulfilled.

“I was earning Sh5,000 a month and my husband urged me to quit teaching for a business that would bring in more income instead of always complaining about poor pay,” she recalls.

“I realised that many investors were interested in Nakuru and saw an opportunity in the buying and selling of land,” she says.

Armed with Sh100,000 from her teaching job and some savings, she purchased a 10-acre piece of land in Bahati, Nakuru North District.

She sub-divided the land into 60 plots and sold them, earning herself  a six figure profit.

She has never looked back and has continued to clinch similar deals that have transformed her Nasha company into one of the most sought after in Nakuru town.

She attributes her quick rise to trust and integrity. “I have clients who trust me by depositing huge amounts of money in my account.”

It is this trust that has seen many Kenyans in the diaspora buy parcels of land in Nakuru and Baringo counties through her firm.

Close to 3,000 families in emerging settlements in Nakuru County such as Kiamunyi, Kabarak, Pipeline, and Ngata have been settled through her initiatives.

Her courage and strong will to take risks has also seen her build a company that employs five permanent staff and about 30 others in the field.

She urges women to venture into this field, saying it has good returns despite its many challenges.

“I was once conned out of Sh3.4 million. There is nothing as painful as losing such a large amount of money,” she adds.