Spreading love through precious gifts

By Protus Onyango

Hers is a trade perfected over ages. As a child, she would fold dry banana leaves into beautiful cards.

In between playing sessions in her rural home in Nyeri County, Eva Wamuya’s delicate hands touched up the unrefined handcrafts, usually meant her peers as gifts.

Little did she know that her love for natural material would one day blossom into a money-minting venture.

Ms Wamuya, now in her late 20s, followed her dad’s dream to go as high as possible with her education, but she knew her passion lay elsewhere — in design and use of her hands.

Eva Wamuya started Precious Gifts in 2008, a company that specialises in making hand-made cards, individual and corporate branded gifts. [JONAH ONYANGO/Standard]

After her Bachelor of Commerce degree at Daystar University, she chose to follow the love of her heart, against the wish of her father.

She started Precious Gifts in 2008, a company that specialises in making hand-made cards, individual and corporate branded gifts like clocks, key-holders, pens and cardholders among other items.

"I realised there was an opportunity in different and unique African hand-made cards as opposed to the normal European cards," Ms Wamuya said.

"It was initially challenging for people to appreciate what I was doing, but now they do and my business is booming."

Wamuya uses recycled paper, sackcloth, beads, dye cards, ribbons, wood and ready-made embellishments as her raw materials.

What started as a hobby has grown exponentially and the businesswoman now has clients spread across the entire world. "Lovebirds make up the biggest percentage of my clientele," she says.

"I make wedding, valentine, greetings, end year corporate, Christmas cards and promotional materials."

"I also print cards, cut them to size and make the cover according to client’s needs," she says.

Among her clients are International Finance Corporation, Serena Hotel, Sofgen, Barclays Bank and Thika Greens. Several marketing and advertising agencies are also in her fold. Wamuya has customers from East Africa and as far as the UK and US.

secret to success

"Three Ps of my life. Prayer, Passion and Persistence. I pray because mine is a God-given talent. I don’t need to work so hard because it is inborn," she says with an air of satisfaction.

"It is my passion and I don’t need anyone to tell me to wake up to do my work and I persistently have to work hard to get other clients because weddings are seasonal," Wamuya says.

But is it always rosy for this young entrepreneur?

High costs of printing and paper, low quality of printed work and hard-to-get beautiful paper locally stand in her way to growth.

"I have to import paper from Dubai, Bangkok, India and UK. It is expensive, both in cost and transport. I rely on one supplier and if he delays, my clients are delayed and my business is affected," she says.

"I sometimes get tired and overwhelmed with work because no one really understands what I exactly want to achieve with my products."

Any lessons so far?

"Patience. If I were not patient, I couldn’t have been able to deal with brides and bridegrooms, who come to me from different backgrounds and with different expectations," she says.

"I have also learnt to manage my finances. I now spend wisely as I continue to invest in my company. I have also since learnt that business takes time to grow."

Cost of ignorance

She regrets her fiscal ignorance that once let her to trust in her partner and never cared to know how money was spend.

"I ended up losing it all. I had to part ways with my business partner and start from scratch," she says.

She says friends, word of mouth and a website have helped grow her business.

"My products sell themselves because they are unique. But I also use my academic knowledge to market them. I majored in marketing and business administration. I am able to manage my employees and clients well," she says.

Ms Wamuya has three permanent employees and retains casual workers during peak seasons.

Any advice to would-be entrepreneurs?

"Start something you love doing, not what your friend is doing. Be disciplined when it comes to money and time. Never give up easily. Keep on fighting. Nothing comes easy."

Wamuya adores Manu Chandaria, her role model in business.

"I love the way he handles his empire with humility and how he gives back to society. I think that is why it gets going back to him," she says.

Related Topics

gifts Nyeri County