Mommy's Haven: Kenyan Woman Launches Mobile Spa Business For Pregnant Women, New Mums

• Wahu Kiragu is the proprietor of Mommy's Haven Beauty Spa, which provides mobile services such as manicures and pedicures for pregnant women and new mums
• The businesswoman explained that women need massages and related services to alleviate the pains and aches associated with pregnancy and motherhood
• In an interview with TUKO.co.ke, Wahu revealed she started the business with a capital of KSh 180,000, and she's expanding it

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers profound insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

When Wahu Kiragu became pregnant at 21, she felt lonely and lost her sense of identity. The 32-year-old was traumatised and neglected herself.

Why Wahu Kiragu established Mommy's Haven

According to the Agency for Clinical Innovation, trauma affects around 8% of pregnancies and is the second leading cause of death in the pregnant population.

In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, Wahu narrated how her experience motivated her to establish a mobile spa business for pregnant women and new mums.

Wahu explained that pregnant women and new mums need massages and related services to alleviate the pains and aches associated with pregnancy and motherhood.

"The pregnancy period was so lonely, and I lost my sense of identity. The small things that make a woman feel rejuvenated, such as beauty therapy, were things I neglected. I do not have even one photo of myself pregnant. I hated how I looked( dysmorphia). 11 years later; I saw a need and an opportunity to carve a brand that provides the convenience of home services for these women. Because I feel it's something I would have appreciated then," Wahu revealed.

How much did Wahu spend?

The trained musician started Mommy's Haven Beauty Spa in July, with a capital of KSh 180,000.

She spent the money setting up a website and booking system and purchasing equipment, tools and products.

"The funds were part of a business fund that I set up some months ago when I decided to start it. Our main services are massages, pedicures, manicures, facials and hairstyling all at the comfort of the client's homes," she explained.

What are Mommy's Haven's rates for massage and other services?

Wahu noted that when she started Mommy's Haven, most women were sceptical because they expected the services to be expensive.

She said they reviewed their prices to ensure that many women could benefit from the convenience they provide.

The cost of the services range from KSh 2,000 to KSh 10,000.

"The past two months have been a learning curve. I have had to structure and restructure our pricing because of certain factors such as transport costs, the cost of replacing certain products, the time spent on certain services and the availability of qualified talent to handle certain skills," she said.

What challenges does Mommy's Haven face?

Her biggest challenge is building trust and educating women that pregnancy and motherhood do not mean they forget about themselves.

She posits that changes in a woman's body naturally refashion how she sees herself.

"Immediately after getting pregnant, most women stop viewing themselves as individuals and take on the identity of a mother, forgetting about themselves to an extent."

Another challenge is investing a lot in digital marketing, hoping to increase sales.

However, Wahu explained that she was diversifying her digital marketing strategies.

"Initially, we expected that most of the traffic would come from website bookings, but as time goes on, I realise that there is a need to build trust first on social media before people can trust a website," she said.

She will launch a physical spa to supplement and complement her mobile services this month.

Which business did Peter Salasya launch?

In related news, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya opened a new spa in Gigiri, offering services such as hair braiding, haircuts, pedicures, manicures, and massages.

The MP announced several job vacancies, seeking qualified barbers, hairdressers, beauticians, and massage therapists.

Salasya emphasised that he was looking for experienced professionals, particularly those skilled in hair braiding and handling Caucasian hair.

Elsewhere, a kind Rongai landlady took workers at her KSh 4m spa on a fully paid Mombasa holiday.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke