Neema Nkatha Kinoti: How Failure To Find Swimsuit Led To Booming Business Idea

In 2017, Neema Nkatha Kinoti struggled to find a swimsuit in Nairobi in 2017 that satisfied her taste. She then decided to make one herself, not knowing that this ignited a business idea.

The first swimsuit she made for herself was for a trip to Europe with her family after efforts to find one she liked from the many shops, boutiques and malls she visited in Nairobi hit a bump.

What she was looking for first was a costume that was not second-hand owing to the extra-sensitivity posed by intimate wear, and another aspect was that she wanted something far from the ordinary, practical and plain swimming costume.

This inspired Nkatha to venture into a business to create an authentic Kenyan-inspired swimsuit line which would turn out to disrupt the market for swimwear, leading to the birth of her business, Ohana Family Wear, during her final year at the United States International University- Africa (USIU).

Neema Nkatha modelling alongside models for Ohana Swimwear. /OHANA SWIMWEAR

“It all started in late July of 2017 after I made the first piece for myself. When my friends saw it they started asking where I’d gotten the swimsuit from and suddenly orders started coming in and that was when I decided to turn it into a side hustle,” Nkatha, who was then working at Fusion Capital, revealed in a past interview with Business Daily.

She noted at the time that her brand was driven by the need to embrace all body types, as well as celebrate African culture as it combines Afro-inspired fabrics, colours and prints to create modern designs, with the luxuriant print and colour play of the swimsuit being the biggest attraction when customers started placing their first orders.

Nkatha disclosed that she started small, recording monthly sales worth less than Ksh5,000. The situation was compounded by the fact that she had taken a loan to start the business, and her main preoccupation was whether the business would do well enough to enable her to repay it.

During the COVID-19 pandemic which crippled many businesses, she began expanding by launching the kids' wear and Safari Collection and got more partners such as the London Fashion Week, Mr and Miss World Kenya and WCR.

Icons such as actress Lupita Nyong'o took notice of Nkatha's works and promoted them, all during the pandemic.

"It is exhilarating for my team and me. This has been one of my biggest dreams and I am grateful for this opportunity. I believe consistency, courage and passion have brought us to where we are. We have learnt the importance of showing up every day, whether it’s a good or bad day and giving your best.

"The hours, sweat, tears and prayers you put in will eventually pay off and opportunities will come knocking at your door. We have also learnt the importance of networking and taking advantage of all platforms that present themselves," she remarked regarding her debut at London Fashion Week.

Nkatha was furthermore inspired to go into the swimwear brand to dispel the notion that “Africans don’t swim”, backed by previous statistics by the World Health Organization noting that drowning deaths were highest in Africa at rates that were 15-20 times higher than in developed countries.

A man wearing Ohana Swimwear shorts. /OHANA SWIMWEAR

According to her, swimming is an essential skill, and Ohana Swimwear aims to provide easy-to-access swimwear to Africans which gives them extra confidence before stepping into the waters.

When asked about her future plans, Nkatha revealed "I believe Ohana Family Wear Limited will be a household name in the country that not only serves to meet all your beachwear needs but also creates an impact in the lives of everyone associated with it."

The Ohana Family Wear brand is trademarked, and all swimsuit designs are protected legally before each season’s launch to ensure there is no duplication.

In the near future, Nkatha plans to offer custom-made pieces and launch a new line of products exclusively catering to Muslims and conservatives.

The biggest challenge in the business is production costs which have compelled her to outsource to countries such as Asia and the United States.

Just recently, Ohana Swimwear was listed among the top 50 finalists for the Small Business Awards 2023 by Biashara Africa, which provides small businesses with skills, access to markets and financing through its various programs.

"Honestly amazing cause I feel like my hard work is being recognized. Given the current state of the economy and just coming from COVID-19 but still putting in work every day," she told Viral Tea.

The winners will be announced at the Small Business Financing Masterclass and Awards Ceremony 2023 on Friday, September 29, 2023.