I am Godfrey Matati. I was born in Kakamega county. I am the firstborn in a family of four boys. I had to learn to be responsible at a young age because my dad died when I was 12. I had to take care of my siblings.
I tried several businesses back home. I started farming when I was in high school. I would also burn charcoal and that gave me money for upkeep.
After school, I came to Nairobi and did several courses. I joined a computer college and also joined a driving school. After completing the computer course, I started the first computer college in Kangemi together with some partners. Unfortunately, after some time, one of the partners pulled out as things were not working out.
I worked with the Economics Project Trust Fund in 2003 and stayed there for 7 years working as an office assistant. The mother organization is The Navigators, a Christian organization for which I also worked. I was working on the graduate assistant program where we trained graduates on entrepreneurship.
I started a delivery business in 2008. It was known as Vigo delivery services and it started as a partnership. Later my partner pulled out. After some time, the business was doing well and I was able to buy two bikes. The companies that I worked for supported my business as they were also my customers.
I resigned from my job in 2017 and decided to contest for a political seat back home, an M.C.A seat. Things did not however turn out as expected. There were 12 contestants and I ended up finishing fourth.
After that things were not smooth sailing. I lost almost all the things I had gained through my business. I had sold two plots of land in Ruai before the elections and a van which I sold later after the elections. I had incurred debts. I moved to a smaller house, and later to an even smaller one.
I moved kids from a private school to a public school. My wife left me at this point. We had 2 children and were expecting a third. Things were simply not easy.
Despite everything, I did not give up, I worked hard. From being a business owner, a ‘mheshimiwa’, and an employer, I had to start again. I hired a bike and started working for Jumia food as a rider. After working for about five months, I had saved some money and was able to buy my bike.
It is then that I joined Sendy.
FirTfor thest of work was not difficult for me as I already knew my way around the city. I had more than 10 years of experience as a rider. I would be in one corner of the city in the morning and another in the afternoon. I also knew how to navigate around traffic.
I have had many memorable events at work. There was this one time on Valentine’s Day, a guy sent me to deliver coffee for a lady along Mombasa road.
The coffee had been bought along Ngong road and I had to go all the way. It was exciting to see the lady very happy when she saw that I had carried the coffee in my hands all the way.
There was this other event when a lady sent a package to the husband and it had been labeled. Premade and so when I called him, I asked him whether he was Mr. Peremende and he said no. I had to give feedback to the lady. When I told her what he had said, she said that I should call him again and tell him that the package was from his wife. The man was amused. I later met him and handed him the document.
I have also had sad moments. There was this time when I was sent to deliver a package to a lady. When I got there I found out that she had passed on. It was a sad event and especially because she was one of our loyal customers. Finding people in mourning was sad.
Working during the pandemic was hard because we were like frfrontlineworkerss and had to be out there when everyone else was back home. It was a difficult time because the uncertainties is presented. We did not know what to expect.
My work has changed my life. I am now able to educate my children. I have a girl in form 2 and another in grade 4. I also have a niece in form 1. I also lost one of my brothers who left 2 kids that I also take care of.
The good thing with this job is that you get to traverse the city. You also get to interact with different people. You’ll be in one corner of town in the morning and another in the afternoon. I have been to posh places. I have been able to access places that I wouldn’t have access to if I wasn’t working as a rider. I have been to high government offices, homes of high-ranking leaders in society, and major hotels I had only dreamt of.
Sendy is a trusted brand and our customers trust us. Last week I had gone to pick something from the Thika Road Mall, and someone saw me. He had just got a phone for his brother from the Safaricom shop and asked me to deliver it to the brother in Embakasi.
Some customers even trust us enough to let us access their houses. I have a customer who sent me to their house to pick up a laptop for him.
Sendy has transformed many lives. Besides what we are paid, some people have gotten motorcycles and vehicles on loans. They also take us through safety training occasionally. When I am free, I love to serve the community. Although I have shelved my political ambitions for the future, I still help out when I am called upon. Sometimes I love to stay home and do some house chores. I also love cooking.
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