Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli's adopted daughter Valentine Nekesa at the age of 17, achieved what to many is a pipe dream.
Immediately after completing High School, she founded her own fashion company christened V-Design, sometimes referred to as Nekesa Queens Ltd.
In 2017, she won at Blaze Be Your Own Boss competition where she was gifted Ksh3 million as capital and Ksh2 million in the form of mentorship, financial advice, and business support.
File image of Valentine Nekesa rocking one of her designs. |Photo| Courtesy|
Following the death of her mother, Nekesa was raised in a big family after she was adopted by Atwoli and his wife Rosalinda.
She developed a passion for fashion design at a tender age and even drew ideas she had of outfits in a sketchbook and after sitting for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in 2014, she made her move for fashion.
Nekesa got support from friends and family as she looked to establish her own company. They would go to her, or in other instances refer people to her for clothing designs.
Just after she sat for her KCSE and was thinking about getting serious with fashion, a friend asked her for an outfit. At the time, she only had Ksh 1,000, which she used to buy fabric at Ksh 450 and paid Ksh500 to a tailor. This was the beginning of her career un fashion.
In January 2018, Nekesa told Bizna Magazine revealed that the success of her company was that she focused her creativity on designs specifically tailored for the plus-size community.
"V-Designs is a fashion house for plus size women whom we usually refer to as ‘tripple C’ (curvy, confident, chic). We sell a feeling and confidence. That’s what differentiates us from our competitors," she stated.
In 2017, she ranked 14th on her debut on Top 40 Under 40 Women in Kenya.
Nekesa attended Kakamega Primary School before joining Moi Girls High School, Eldoret, in Uasin Gishu County.
In 2015, she enrolled at Mount Kenya University (MKU) where she pursued a degree in information technology (BIT).
File image of Valentine Nekesa rocking one of her designs. |Photo| Courtesy|
