Burdened with the reality of a job loss, Nkatha Mwai tossed and turned on her bed wondering about her next move. She had bills that didn't care whether she had lost her only source of income and her savings account balance was a sorry tale. "Maybe, I could just go back to my parents' house as I think of a way out," this crossed my mind but I decided that it was not a good plan," she offers.
Life is hard for everyone during a pandemic. But in a global crisis, it is women who carry extra burdens, says Raquel Lagunas, director of the gender team at the United Nations Development Programme. "Because of their reproductive role in society, they are ones taking care of the kids, the house, the food, the survival of families.
Looking to earn a living and for flexi-hours, more women are casting their nets beyond the borders to work with international clients through online jobs.
Enter the freelance economy boon. Upwork, a global freelancing platform, for instance, contributes 22 percent more to the US economy than it did in the year 2019, before the pandemic.
"Freelancing has now given me a lifeline. It has its insecurities because of the unpredictable income and no benefits but it is my current means of survival. I currently work as an affiliate marketer," offers Nkatha.
According to Internet World Statistics, by December 2020, Kenya had an internet penetration of 85.2 percent. This means that more than half of Kenya's population has access to the internet.
The mother who is a Virtual Assistant
Ludiah Mong'are, 33, Virtual assistant. Photo | Pool
"In my plans for the future, the online job marketplace didn't feature. In 2015, I was working night shifts at a media monitoring firm. One of my daughters who was five years then would question why I was not with her at night. Granted, I had a house help but it hurt every time she asked that question.
One night, I got a call around 9 pm that she had gone missing. Luckily, they found her but this coupled with her constant questioning made me yearn to work from home so I can spend more time with my children and have time to go to church without asking for permission. Finding time to worship on Saturday was a challenge when I was working 9-5.
When I resigned in April 2015, I had no idea where to look for online jobs or how to do them. But I had good access to the internet so I made frequent searches on platforms like Google, Twitter, and Facebook. Months later, I chanced upon a post on Twitter that talked about a group of Facebook called Awesome Transcribers. I joined and my journey started.
However, I didn't start as a virtual assistant and I didn't even know it existed. I only knew of article writing & transcription. I, however, realised transcription wasn't for me and I trained on article writing. Through the group, a client hired me as a virtual assistant and trained me on most of the things and that was the start of the trade.
I work with coaches, business owners, entrepreneurs, and speakers who need help setting up systems in place to run their business. My clients are based in the US and the UK; we've never met in person.
Sometimes you can find me doing research and filling in a spreadsheet, other times I am writing content, coordinating events, social and website management, or zoom sessions moderations. A VA wears many hats so you have to be computer literate, a fast learner because you need multiple skills, and be communication and tech-savvy.
I don't have specific working hours or a typical day routine as that is dependent on how much work I have on my plate. The only constant thing is that I don't work on weekends.
For virtual assistants, most of us are paid per hour or project. For hourly charges, you give an offer to the client depending on skillset or experience. It could be $10 per hour or more.
What I love most about this is the fact that my kids can find me home when they come from school and I get to bond with them a lot more. It's a plus, that many employers are now embracing the work-from-home model.
On the flip side, I think I lack a social life because there is no much time to interact with the outside world. If you are not careful, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to a lot of weight gain.
To become a VA, you need : To leave the money mentality behind and be focused on first learning the ropes. Computer literacy is a must, stable internet connection, strong English writing and speaking skills, experience in Microsoft office & Google apps like Doc & spreadsheet and knowledge and ability to use online technology (i.e. browsers, email, cloud storage like Google Drive, Zoom)
Best sites to find such work: I can't say that a certain site is the best because what works for me might not work for you. But I can mention legit sites like upwork.com, peopleperhour.com (PPH) fiverr.com, and social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter."
The teacher turned transcriber
Susan Mwangi, 26, Freelance Transcriber
Susan Mwangi, 26, is a legal transcriber and a virtual assistant. Photo | Lilys Njeru
"I first learnt of online freelancing jobs through Facebook groups. I developed an interest and watched YouTube videos to get more insight and enrolled for free courses online and when I felt I had gained the necessary skills I applied for my first job.
To get these classes, you have to search online depending on your specialty. You might be lucky to find veterans offering free courses, which are mostly for a limited time so you have to be on the lookout. I started on beginner-friendly sites like Verbit, Castings Words, and Scribie before creating an Upwork account where I started bidding. I got my first client after three weeks of trying. To stand out on such platforms, you have to optimize your profile and craft catchy proposals that stand out. After attaining six months of experience, I started reaching out to potential clients directly.
I embarked on this journey last year and to date, most people around me don't understand what I do as a transcriber. They assume I spend most of my time just watching videos and doing nothing.
Most of my assignments are from international clients so I mostly work at night to coincide with their working hours. I mostly do legal transcription for American clients. I am a teacher by profession. Since I also have some local clients, I sometimes work during the day and since I don't have regular working hours, I don't have a specific wake or sleep times.
I begin by going through my emails, transcribe my clients' most urgent files, and then plan on the order of executing the less urgent files depending on their deadlines. I always set aside two hours for working out in the afternoon. I then watch a movie after I'm done meeting a personal set target for the day.
Some jobs pay on an hourly basis while others pay per project. Mostly, it just depends on what you and your client agree on. For hourly terms, the client might have a tool where you log in when you start working, the tool calculates the amount of time you spend working on the project. For others, especially those you've worked with for a long time, they just rely on the amount of time you tell them it took you to transcribe the entire project. I like that I get to work from home and earn an income that can meet my needs and expenses. The "how" much is dependent on your input. My only challenge as a transcriber working in the legal field is that sometimes I get poor quality files to work on and some topics can be quite disturbing.
To become a transcriber, you need: a laptop, good internet, and good grammar. There's a lot one can do online, and the quality of your work is what will bring more clients your way and help retain the ones you already have.
Sites I recommend to find such work: Upwork, Fiverr, Verbit. However, if one wants to go far in freelancing, they should strive to get direct clients. To get them, start by identifying people or companies that need the kind of services you offer in their line of work. Then pitch to them detailing how your services are going to add value to their business."
The graduate who is an Online Editor
Racheal Irungu, 24, Article Writer / Editor
Racheal Irungu, 24, article writer and editor. Photo | Pool
"In 2016, I started writing articles for pay. I was in my third year of university study and a friend introduced me to the craft. I got training and started receiving orders to write about fitness and health.
I didn't that this would turn to be my main source of income. I was pursuing BSc. Information Science majoring in mass media and publishing and I have practiced my career as an editor in various firms in Kenya. Having a background in information science plays a big role in shaping my writing and research skills.
One day I thought to myself "If I can meet my expenses working online, maybe I should be more dedicated to it". I write blog articles, web research, and SEO articles.
I haven't met most of my employers in person. We discuss business online. I have worked for Upwork platform, Fivver, and Bomalink. The latter takes in writers as interns and through that, you can grow your skills then explore other platforms having gained confidence in writing. We also have Kenyans with direct clients from different countries who are given tasks then delegate them at an agreed price.
For article writing, the work is paid according to the task given. You must agree on pricing before writing as rates vary from one employer to another. If the work is urgently needed, the rates are higher.
One of the challenges with working online is that online payment methods can at times be frustrating as you can get locked out of a platform like PayPal. Also, some direct clients may decide not to pay after work is delivered. Hence people should be careful with whom they work for and if possible, have the money deposited into an escrow account.
To become a transcriber, you need: A laptop, a strong internet connection, and determination. Writing requires you to be open-minded because clients have varied needs. Also, be persistent even when your proposals and bids are rejected.
Sites I recommend to find such work: Fivver, Upwork, Academia research, Verblio, Bomalink.
The mother who is a drop shipper
Sheila Idenya a.k.a Sheila Importer, 34
Sheila Idenya, 34, a Dropshipper and importer.
"I was on maternity leave when I started thinking of flexible working hours' hustle that would allow me to spend more time with my baby. Initially, I wanted to set up a cottage business but the stringent regulations and high packaging minimum order quality (MOQ) from suppliers discouraged me.
I enrolled in an importation course that helped me learn how to negotiate with suppliers for lower MOQS. While still training, I rallied fellow mothers to join hands and import clothes and other stuff. This was important to meet the supplier's minimum orders. I started a WhatsApp group where I would share items I wanted to purchase with a mark-up on the price. Once I received the cash, I would retain the profits and send the supplier the agreed money. When the items arrive, I would then collect the goods and deliver them to my clients once we cost-shared the freight. I repeated this cycle until I decided to automate it using a dropshipping website. I like the independence that comes with the job and that I get to retain profit upfront and do not require much capital.
I have gathered that many people don't know about dropshipping yet it is a good avenue to earn a living. Dropshipping is a model where you will post a suppliers'' product on your platform and market it through your platform at a marked-up price. Once you get an order, you place the order with the supplier and have them deliver it directly to the client. However, on my end, I add a twist to it since I have to confirm the cargo before it reaches the buyer so that if there is an issue I can address it beforehand.
When I began I did not tell people around me. I felt like strangers took my job more seriously than my friends and relatives. However, over time, I started advertising on my profile and even opened up a Facebook page – Dukahub running it during my free time. I was still in a full-time job and feared that my employer would bring issues if they found out so I stuck to the referral business.
Now that I am doing it full time, my typical day starts with chatting and responding to suppliers because of the time difference, especially for Chinese suppliers. Then place and follow up on orders while keeping track of freight companies for incoming cargo. I will thereafter respond to clients' inquiries.
I also supervise my staff and check if there is anything that needs my urgent attention. I also have a Facebook group - Importing to Kenya where I will have to approve and schedule posts that help people better understand the imports business. Then I will prepare for my classes where I train people on matters importation and dropshipping.
Dropshipping is commission-based since you earn when you make a sale. Say the supplier is selling an item at Sh2,000, I will market it as Sh2,500. When the client pays Sh2,500, I pay the supplier the Sh2,000, spend Sh100 on logistics - conversion rate, freight, etc. and retain the rest as profit. As such your marketing has to be aggressive and targeted.
I love the fact that I can sell and import anything from various parts of the world from the comfort of my home while at the same time having the flexibility to be with and take care of my young family.
The online business has its challenges. There are many fraudsters and in the beginning, it is difficult getting clients to trust and pay for goods they haven't seen in person. There is also the issue of poor logistics, especially when dropshipping to African markets. Some dishonest clients will claim a refund or give a bad rating.
What you need to start: You need a laptop and a smartphone. Most importantly, steady internet connection and determination. Perseverance and consistency especially in marketing are crucial especially in the initial stages of the business. You also need to set up business structures and refund policies.
Recommended Sites: One can dropship through sites like Jumia, Skygarden, and Amazon. You can also opt to create your Shopify store or better still one can dropship through WhatsApp and Telegram groups. I went with the last two options because I realised that I convert more on WhatsApp/Telegram. However, I will soon get back to the Shopify store as my clientele is growing."
