- Eddie and Paul Ndichu lost their father just two months after starting university in Australia, forcing them to find a way to survive abroad
- Life was not easy, but they persevered and graduated before returning to Kenya, where they secured jobs at some of the country’s leading banks
- Years later, they both quit their stable, high-paying jobs to pursue a dream that would ultimately define them and allow them to work together
Eddie and Paul Ndichu didn’t always have to struggle to make ends meet while growing up.
by Lynn-Linzer Kibebe
The twins were raised in a typical middle-class Kenyan home, where their parents were...
the sole breadwinners, and the children’s primary responsibility was to study and excel in school.The brothers did just that and eventually earned the opportunity to pursue tertiary education in Australia.
Tragically, just two months after enrolling at university abroad, Eddie and Paul lost their father, who had been the sole sponsor of their education and livelihood.
How did Ndichu twins pay school fees in Australia?
Suddenly, they had to learn how to work to pay for tuition and cover living expenses abroad.
In an interview with TechCabal, the twins shared that they took on menial, part-time jobs to stay in school.
“We had to quickly find a way to survive, pay bills, and cover tuition. We did odd jobs to pay school fees. We learnt the true value of money the hard way. It wasn’t easy. We cleaned mall floors, worked in factories, and got paid about $2 or $3 an hour,” Eddie recalled.
The siblings worked tirelessly and even upskilled over time, Paul became a security guard, while Eddie served as a bartender, earning $12 to $15 an hour.
“Our mother sent whatever she could, which was amazing, but we knew we had to survive,” Eddie added.
Building the WapiPay dream
After completing their studies, the twins returned to Kenya and secured jobs at various banks. These roles, which involved building online and mobile banking channels, helped them discover and shape their entrepreneurial skills.
“While studying in Australia, most of our peers were from Asia. While working back home, we noticed that moving money between Africa and Asia took two to three days and was expensive. We saw a big gap there and decided to look into it more deeply,” Paul explained.
Although M-Pesa served Kenya locally, cross-border transfers were still slow and cumbersome. The brothers envisioned a digital solution that would eliminate physical trips to MoneyGram or Western Union while speeding up the process.
Once the idea was born, Eddie and Paul quit their lucrative jobs and started working on WapiPay, using their savings as start-up capital.
“What motivated us was the belief that we were entering a space no one else was playing in. I remember our first transaction was very physical—we took cash from someone sending money to China and had to figure out how to get it there without a bank. It was a hard lesson that made us think, ‘Maybe this isn’t going to be easy,’” Eddie recalled.
Challenges in starting WapiPay
The twins faced numerous challenges along the way, but they used each obstacle as a stepping stone. From replanning, rebuilding, and reconfiguring, Eddie and Paul worked on every detail to ensure customer satisfaction.
“The real ‘aha’ moment was getting our first customer. Then the second, third, and fourth. That validated us. It also forced us to pivot from a B2C to a B2B model. We were fortunate to have learned from large organisations how to build a culture and an operating rhythm,” Paul said.
The brothers credit much of their success to being in sync with each other, and complementing one another at work. They emphasised that a strong work ethic, shared values, and operational excellence are key factors that have enabled their business to grow and thrive.
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