Wanjiru Mwangi was just a devoted 9 a.m.-5 p.m. employee, having worked both in the private and public sectors for the past 13 years.
But this was before Covid-19 in 2020 which disrupted the world's socioeconomic order, exposing Wanjiru and billions of others to the high cost of living, and job losses among other challenges.
It is estimated that 78 per cent of the global population currently at just over eight billion people is still reeling from the negative effects of the pandemic.
Behind the fading cloud of the pandemic that claimed 6.9 million lives is a tell of reengineered lives of people willing to go the extra mile to increase sources of income.
For Wajiru, she opted to turn her cleaning passion into a side hustle and hopes to fully concentrate on it someday. "Covid-19 was an eye-opener. It pushed me outside my comfort zone to start Shaba, a carpet cleaning firm.
I have harboured a love for clean carpets since childhood. When rented my first house, the carpet was the most expensive item in the room,'' Wanjiru told the Star. Armed with passion, extra off-duty time and family support but limited finances, the mother of three bought basic equipment: a water pipe and a scrubber.
"I was my very first client. My two carpets were the launching pad for the company that has since expanded into furniture, mattress and curtain cleaning. I did an elaborate research, assembled and trained a team that is part of Shaba Cleaning Limited,'' Wanjiru saidShe has since handled over 1,000 clients, both household and corporate and hopes to spread the business beyond Nairobi, infusing passion and professionalism to give her clients the best services.