I Quit My Job, Started a Kindergarten Then Got Auctioned

EDITOR'S NOTE: The journey of entrepreneurship is often marked by hardship and resilience. Many endure setbacks as they build their legacies. This is the story of Rosemary Dido, who started a school, faced auction, and emerged from the ashes as a proud school owner. The story is shared as it was told to our editor, Derrick Kubasu.

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If you had told me five years ago that I would one day be a victim of auction, I would have laughed. The journey has been long and full of twists and turns, but I am here, the owner of a fully-fledged school. Back then, I was the headteacher at a respected private school in Nairobi, earning a decent salary and managing a team of teachers. I had two children, a steady income, and my Toyota Harrier, a car that made me feel like I had made it.

But deep down, I always had this itch, a desire to start my own school. I had seen how parents valued good education and how schools were built around the vision of just one determined person. I wanted that. I wanted to build something of my own.

In 2018, after many late-night conversations with my husband and several prayers, I resigned. It felt bold until the reality of life without a salary hit me.

I had a clear plan, or so I thought. I rented a small compound in Rongai that could host about thirty children. I was paying a rent of around Ksh40,000. It was nothing fancy, but I knew how to make a small space feel like a real kindergarten. I used my savings to paint the classrooms, buy desks, and print flyers.

The hardest decision was selling my car. That Harrier had been my pride. But I told myself that a van would serve a greater purpose, ferrying children safely to and from school. I sold the Harrier and bought a used Nissan Vanette. It did not have leather seats or Bluetooth, but it was the beginning of my dream.

At the start, I had thirty pupils, most of them from the neighbourhood. Their parents believed in me because they had seen how I worked as a teacher. My first employee was a young teacher fresh from college. We shared one small office and marked books side by side as we discussed ideas for new teaching materials.

Business was tough. Some parents paid school fees late, others withdrew their children without notice, and there were months when I did not pay myself a salary.

In the second year, I realised that passion alone does not pay rent. I had underestimated how expensive running a school could be. Paying teachers, buying food for the lunch program, renewing business permits, and covering maintenance costs quickly drained my savings. When I tried to expand by renting an extra classroom and buying a few computers, I quickly ran out of cash.

Then the pandemic came. Schools closed, and parents stopped paying. I cried for weeks. I remember sitting in the empty classroom one afternoon, staring at the dusty desks, wondering whether I should just go back to employment. But I was not ready to let my dream go.

I sought a loan, but lenders had no faith in my school since the income was irregular, the pandemic had led to a shutdown, and I was struggling to keep up with rent for an empty property.

By the end of 2020, the loan sharks had come for my properties to settle the rent arrears, and the school bus had to go. My dream was still intact, and quitting would have meant losing everything.

When schools reopened, I decided to rebuild differently. I introduced flexible payment plans for parents. I also started saving part of the school’s income in a Sacco, something I had never done before. I learned to separate my personal finances from the school’s.

By 2023, my kindergarten had expanded to a fully-fledged school of more than 200 pupils. Not a massive number, but enough to feel proud. By this time, I had acquired another school bus, and every time I hear its engine cough in the morning, I smile because it reminds me how far we have come.

Here are the most important financial lessons I have learned on this journey:

The Financial Lessons I Learned

Separate passion from planning‍

Loving what you do is important, but it will not sustain your business. You need a solid financial plan that considers delayed payments, emergencies, and growth costs.

Do not mix personal assets with business capital‍

Selling my car was one thing, but using our home as collateral was a huge risk. If you must borrow, borrow against the business, not your family’s security.

Cash flow is everything‍

I used to think profit mattered most until I realised a profitable school can still collapse if parents delay paying fees. Managing cash flow and setting clear payment terms is crucial.

Start small and grow steadily‍

Growth feels exciting, but it is also expensive. Gradual, sustainable expansion is better than stretching yourself too fast.

Save and reinvest‍

Joining a Sacco was a turning point. It gave me access to affordable loans and helped me build a savings culture within the school.

Protect your reputation‍

In education, trust is everything. Parents will forgive small mistakes if they see your commitment to their children’s welfare.

Looking back, I do not regret selling my car or leaving my job. I may not have the financial comfort I once had, but I wake up every morning knowing I am building something that is mine, something that changes lives.

Sometimes, financial freedom does not look like wealth. It looks like control—the ability to choose your path, however risky it may be.