Never Too Young for the Stock Market: Wangechi Mwangi

We all interact with money though no one ever really teaches us about it. This was the revelation that steered Wangechi Mwangi into the world of business finance and guiding the future generation on the importance of investing, the benefits of saving and how to spend wisely in biashara. 

Growing up, Wangechi acquired an interest in finance from spending days with and around her entrepreneur mother, who had a background in accounting. While at Precious Blood (PB) Riruta for her secondary education, Wangechi noted that Math and Business Studies were her favourite subjects. There was one problem, however, the lack of practicality when it came to Business Studies. It was all textbook knowledge with no practical experience she could relate to. When she thought of her tertiary education, Finance seemed like the best course to venture into. She completed her KCSE with a strong mean grade of 86.23 that placed her 60th nationally among all the KCSE candidates in 2011.  

Achiever status on her shoulder, it was now time to go ahead and master the world of numbers. Unfortunately, her intention to study Finance at Strathmore University was dismissed due to the fact that she’d missed the application deadline. Wangechi looked into her other options. Business Information Technology seemed like the best alternative to get her entrepreneurial skills advanced.  

Wangechi applied and was accepted to major in a Bachelors in Business IT (BBIT) at Strathmore University. During her time here, she engaged with fellow students from her course department, as well as those in Finance. The same problem she faced while at Precious Blood was similar here – more theory and less practical application. This time, she felt that she could task herself with initiating a solution. She developed a concept for a business that would focus on opening up finance in Africa. Wangechi teamed up with a tech colleague to create Valuraha – an online platform under Strathmore’s business incubator, iBiz Africa, aimed at teaching students how to save and invest money. After paying a small annual fee, students on Valuraha were able to increase financial literacy through virtual access to companies in Kenya which they could invest in, buying and/or selling shares. She started by taking her new creation to her former high school where, after trials, it was incorporated alongside the Business Studies curriculum. Valuraha’s relevance was appreciated and it got distributed to more schools locally. It provided a fitting simulation of the finance market in Kenya and Wangechi had become an entrepreneur with a valuable business while in her third year of campus. 

Her efforts were worth recognizing, and through the encouragement of her friends, Wangechi applied for the annual Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) – a worldwide competition aimed at recognizing young people who own and operate businesses while still in university. It was a daunting competition, with approximately 2000 other university biashara people, but Wangechi remained confident in her business. In 2015, Wangechi was awarded the Global Social Impact Award at the student awards for leveraging her business to improve her community. Valuraha was applauded by students from different countries who tasked Wangechi with expanding her company to their countries. She makes an inspiring contribution to what it means to demonstrate #KeExcellence. Keep soaring Wangechi!