In life, even the valley has its proper place in God….
One morning, Charles Mullo found himself with no job to go to. With medical bills and a young family to feed, he had to figure a way out of this valley.
Charles had previously worked in the logistics department for a multi-national organization; he has a passion for logistics. He opted to begin a business in logistics and use the experience and skills he had acquired over the years to run his business.
Armed with only the business idea and expertise in logistics, Charles had to find a way to actualize his dreams. He began by marketing the idea to his friends and since many of them had known him previously from his former employment, they had faith in his ability.
As he talked to various organizations about his company, he landed himself his first deal to transport goods from Nairobi to Lokichogio. Charles had to think fast for he had no cargo truck to his name! With his background in logistics, he managed to convince a truck seller to allow him to use his truck to transport the goods. This is how Valueserve Limited was incorporated in 2005 with a defined core business of transport logistics to cover countries within the great lakes and horn of Africa region. However, his first deal was a loss but he did not lose heart and was confident that it can still be done.
In 2010, Charles urgently needed to access his first ever business loan. He approached a financial institution that was not eager to fund his business due to lack of fixed assets. It was at this point that he was introduced to EPTF by his friend Noel Owour who works with The Navigators Africa.
I was impressed by the application process. It was indeed very friendly and the repayment terms very reasonable, he said. With this loan, Charles was able to supply orders, increase his working capital and acquire a 40ft trailer. He successfully repaid his loan and applied for a second loan in early 2011 which was approved. This has enabled him acquire a second 40ft trailer and still counting…
Today, Valueserve boasts of a wide clientele such as TEARFUND-UK, Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM), UNICEF OLS, World Vision Kenya, Diakonie Emergency Aid, Mercy Corps, Veterines Sans Frontiers- Germany (VSF-G), Save the children USA Sudan among others.
Business to Charles is about impacting the society around him. I have supported one staff to complete his training in supply and procurement management course. I do ministry support work as well as support 4 orphaned children through paying for their school fees and food, he discloses. Before his first loan, Charles had 3 employees and one casual employee. Currently, he has 5 employees with 2 casual employees.
The logistics industry in Kenya is big business. My plan is to continue increasing my fleet to be able to meet the demands of my clients, he says.
Borrowing from Colossians 1:17 Good News Version, he believes that even the valleys in life hold together in God.