Abdullah Said Abdallah, a 24-year-old visionary entrepreneur in Tana River County, Kenya, exemplifies this year’s Biodiversity Day theme, Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.
Abdallah is the founder and proprietor of Soko Sea Food, a burgeoning enterprise that exemplifies grit, resilience, and transformative growth.
His entrepreneurial journey commenced in 2019, while still in school. Every Sunday and Monday, he would assist local fishermen by ferrying fish from their boats to the shore. In lieu of monetary payment, he received fish, which he resold to local mama karanga (informal fish vendors), thereby earning modest pocket money and sowing the seeds of a promising business career.
Recognizing his work ethic and unwavering dedication, the fishermen took him under their wing. With the meager proceeds from his early sales, Abdallah began purchasing fish at KSh150 per kilogram and reselling it at KSh180–200, gradually building a rudimentary supply chain of his own.
Tragically, in 2020, financial constraints forced Abdallah to drop out of school. Rather than despair, he redirected his focus to his fledgling fish business. By the time he encountered TechnoServe’s BlueBiz program, Abdallah was already moving an average of 20 kilograms of fish per day at KSh200 per kilogram, generating approximately KSh4,000 daily.
Upon enrolling for the training, Abdallah’s enterprise underwent a remarkable transformation. Equipped with newfound knowledge in business management, customer engagement, marketing, and digital tools, he began leveraging social media as a daily marketing channel.
Today, Soko Sea Food supplies fresh fish to major towns in Kenya. Abdallah employs two young men full-time and has invested in a new fishing vessel. Within just one month of completing the BlueBiz Program training, his sales surged dramatically; he now moves an average of 300 kilograms of fish per day at KSh250 per kilogram, generating a daily turnover of KSh75,000.
Abdallah uses standardized fishing nets that allow small and juvenile fish to escape, promoting Marine Biodiversity and ensuring fish populations can regenerate – a key sustainability measure aligned with Ocean Conservation Goals. Beyond his fishing practices, he actively participates in beach clean-ups to reduce coastal pollution and protect Marine Ecosystems, demonstrating a deep commitment to environmental stewardship both at sea and on land.
Through these actions, Abdallah exemplifies the role of local fishers in advancing Kenya’s blue economy by combining sustainable livelihoods with the protection of natural resources.
