Left my job to create functional teas

Wangari Kiburi [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Benefits of Functional Tea

You take them to ease a condition. There are conditions that one will take medication until the end of time.

"Something like guava, we know it as a fruit but the leaves have benefits of improving your health," she says

Mukombero Tea and Power tea

"A lot of people are suffering from low libido because there's a lot of chaos in life, so in this power team, we add; Mukombero, pumpkin seeds, ashwaganda," she says

Menopause Ease Tea

Wangari said that she was added to a Facebook group where women were complaining about menopause. The women were complaining about hot flashes, lack of sleep, being bloated, and mood swings.

"What we've made is not medicine, just several herbs that have vitamins and minerals these women require. From my research, I found out that they require a lot of potassium and magnesium so the herbs I have added have those things. Sage reduces hot flashes and night sweats," she says

Challenges

Climate Change

Getting some of the herbs is hard due to climate change. "We had to get rid of the some of the herbs that are known for several benefits."

Dishonesty

Another challenge is that you give someone your products and they disappear with the money. Over time we have been able to create our websites and we are dealing directly with the customers.

Loans

Wangari says that coming from a banking background made her fear loans because she worked as a loan recovery and auctioneering agent.

"I could see people being chased out of their homes because they were not able to pay. So when I came out here I realised you need to plan to the latter because you don't go out taking loans when you are not sure this thing is viable," she says

Wangari says that she has tried to avoid loans until she is stable and convinced that the money will come back.

Wangari advises people who would like to embark on that journey that they should just start.

"It's going to be hard, a lot of people are going take your money, and others will pin you down. Do it when you are scared, when you are not even prepared you will learn. You cannot suffer from the mistake you can only learn," she adds

Wangari has 3 permanent employees, who help around in packing and distribution.