Field-led learning
Building from real farmer conversations, not assumptions made far from the problem.
About
From the dust of Kilifi to the digital world.
Founder · Builder · Storyteller
I'm Njuguna Hilary — a young entrepreneur from Coastal Kenya, building real businesses from the ground up, and documenting the whole journey honestly.
Where it really started
A stubborn belief that change starts at the grassroots.
My journey began with a love for entrepreneurship, leadership, and agribusiness — and a stubborn belief that real change starts at the grassroots. That belief led me to study Entrepreneurship and Business Management at Moi University, where Prof. Nassiuma inducted our class into entrepreneurship on the very first day.
He wasn't just my favourite lecturer; he was a trailblazer who shaped how I see business — not only as a way to make money, but as a tool to solve real problems. I chose entrepreneurship because I see it as a gateway to development, and a real answer to the unemployment facing young people in my region and across Africa.
But most of my lessons haven't come from a lecture hall. They've come from the field, the chicken house, and the daily grind of building something that didn't exist before.
The turning point
Near-bankruptcy taught me to build my way out.
The vision for Afrifama Poultry was clear, but the road was not. Early on, Afrifama hit the harsh reality of near-bankruptcy — and then a severe feed shortage that threatened the entire farm. With no good options in the market, the future hung in the balance.
Instead of giving up, we turned to innovation. We researched and built Afrifama Feeds — manufacturing affordable feed from local waste materials. That breakthrough didn't just save the farm; it became a second business, and a lifeline for other farmers facing the same wall.
Each setback, it turns out, was a setup for a comeback.
The impact so far
150+
Farmers supported through Afrifama Feeds
350+
Entrepreneurs mentored
5.7K+
YouTube subscribers
120+
Startup pitches judged
I am trying to build the kind of startup where impact is not a campaign. It is the operating system.
Using My Voice to Help Others Build
Building Afrifama taught me that impact does not always begin with huge steps. Sometimes, it begins by sharing what you know, opening doors, and using your voice to help someone move forward.
That belief has shaped my work beyond Afrifama.
I have trained and mentored young entrepreneurs across Kenya, judged more than 120 startup pitches, and supported the training of 130 young people through the Go Blue Project with CAP Youth Empowerment Institute.
I have also facilitated practical entrepreneurship sessions, including Business Model Canvas training for the Boost Plus programme. Every session has given me an opportunity to share what I have learned while sharpening my own thinking as a founder.
My goal is to help more young people believe that they can build meaningful businesses from where they are, with what they have.
As I continue building, learning, and sharing the journey, I hope to become one of the entrepreneurs and changemakers helping shape the future of enterprise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
What I believe
The principles I build by.
Purpose over profit alone
Business should meet real social and physical needs — especially for the youth, who carry the heaviest weight of unemployment.
Ownership, not dependency
Real change starts at the grassroots — with individuals and communities building, not waiting on handouts.
Document the real thing
Don't just produce. Share, teach, and show the unfiltered journey — the lessons you don't see in funding decks.
Use your voice
One voice and a little expertise can be a catalyst for change. You don't have to be big to make an impact.
Aspire · Inspire · Change
Listen
My story, in conversation.
I sat down to talk through my journey — and how I actually raised capital for Afrifama. The honest version, in my own voice.
In conversation with Alisa Sydow · Nampelka
Alisa is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at ESCP Business School and founder of Nampelka, a platform supporting African entrepreneurs.
Moments from the journey.
Let's build from dirt to dream.
Whether you're raising chicks or raising capital — if you're trying to build something real, I'd love to hear from you.