Meru Shop
Sobhag finished his O level (Metric pass) and decided to join his father in his wholesale business. His brother Navin and cousin Babubhai were also involved in the business. He decided to work and dropped the thought of further studies. Lots of his friends decided to go to India or UK for their further studies and experience the college life.
His father had an agency who provided basic commodities to retailers such as sugar, salt, kerosene and many more. Shopkeepers throughout the district bought their goods from his father. They also had hardware and builder’s items like nails, vanish (Shalek) and hinges. They also stocked medical items, stationeries, sweets and clothing. It was known as one of the largest shops in Meru town.
Working at his father’s shop involved a lot of physical activity. They had to start at 7.30 for stocking, take individual lunch breaks one by one and wind up work at 6 or 7 pm. He used to head home for lunch and dinner. They had to do accounting at the end of the day to tally the sales. In the shop, he realised that he needs to develop his typing and bookkeeping skills and took admission for typing and book-keeping course in Nairobi in New Aera College and decided to stay in the same boarding once again until he can finish his course. Book-keeping was a very boring subject for him. He learnt book-keeping in a more practical way from his father. His father taught him to use the cash book, where he learned the rules of debit and credit. It was called “Jama” and “Uthar” (Debit and Credit). In 1969, his father had to shut the business due to the Quit notice from the Government.
The rules stated that non-Kenyan citizens cannot run a business, as they had British citizenship and no business anymore in a small town, in June 1969, the whole family moved to Nairobi for living. It was a big step for the whole family to settle again and leave their comfortable life behind.
