A young college student has captured the admiration of Kenyans online after building his parents a decent home and later putting up his own Sh1.9 million house, all funded through a watermelon farming hustle.
The inspiring story, which has been widely shared on social media, highlights the determination of the Thika-based college student identified as Shalmah, who chose agribusiness as his primary source of income while still pursuing his studies.
According to reports, the 22-year-old first focused on improving his parents’ living conditions back in his rural home in Busia County.
Using proceeds from his watermelon business, he constructed a modern house for his father at a cost of approximately Sh650,000.
The project, which took about three months to complete, was made more affordable by smart cost-saving strategies such as using locally available materials, reusing iron sheets from the previous structure, and sourcing sand nearby.
Speaking about his motivation, the young college student revealed that his father had made significant sacrifices to educate him, including doing manual jobs like selling firewood.
“I love my dad very much… I just wanted to appreciate him,” he said, reflecting on the emotional drive behind the project.
After successfully settling his parents in their new home, Shalmah shifted his focus to building his own residence, a project he says has so far cost him around Sh1.9 million.
He attributed his financial breakthrough to watermelon farming, noting that while the venture requires patience and investment, the returns during harvest seasons can be highly rewarding.
“Most of the building materials we used were readily available. For instance, the iron sheets came from my father’s old house. He had been living in a mabati house with 40 iron sheets, which were still in good condition. He also had bricks that we used, so we did not need to buy additional ones. We sourced sand from a nearby river, paying young men KSh 50 per wheelbarrow, which helped us cut costs. We built the house quickly and efficiently, and by the third month, it was complete, including plastering and painting,” he said.
“It is expensive but rewarding… during harvest time, the returns are quite good,” he explained, encouraging fellow youth to consider farming as a viable income stream.
Beyond housing, the industrious student also revealed that he managed to acquire a car through a loan, which he handed over to his father to ease his daily errands.
Photos and videos of the houses shared online sparked admiration among netizens, with many praising his sense of responsibility, hard work, and commitment to uplifting his family at a young age.
The story has since become a powerful example of how agribusiness, often overlooked by many young people, can transform lives when approached with discipline and vision.
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