I started this blog so as to write book reviews; that section will surely come with a revamped blog that is in my plans.
I would’ve been there if it were not for Covid-19 pandemic that has slowed down many things.
Nuria Book Store
Along Moi Avenue in Nairobi, at The One Building right behind Nation Centre, there a book store, Nuria Bookstore.
Nuria was started a few years ago by Abdullahi Bulle, a formidable former banker, a jovial businessman with passion for books.
The well-stocked bookshop has a variety of titles
Nuria Store, which also deals in other wares, has a wide array of clients both in Kenya and internationally.
According to records seen by Ekoroi.com, clients from as far as the United Kingdom, USA, Belgium, Japan, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia and Canada purchase stuff from Nuria Store which is then shipped using DHL Global Logistics company.
The Kenyan online store business is very competitive and continues to grow, even with such players as Jumia, Safaricom’s Masoko, Kilimall and others.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
In March, Bulle launched a social responsibility activity targeting women and especially school-going girls.
“I started giving out the pads for free at our pick up point along Moi Avenue. Then two local authors shared the initiative on Twitter and Instagram,” Mr. Bulle said.
In an interview with a local TV station in February 2020, he narrated how he came across two girls headed back to school and were struggling to carry their luggage: he decided to help.
It is after this encounter that he decided to start giving out sanitary pads at the bookstore.
The initiative grew big as Bulle acknowledged that sometimes women are caught off-guard by their periods; some cannot afford to buy sanitary products and that’s where Nuria Store comes in.
Its location at the center of town makes it easy for any woman or girl who is pressed to check-in, pick a pad and they are sorted.
Janet Mbugua and Inua Dada
Media Personality Janet Mbugua who is also the founder of Inua Dada initiative supports the initiative.
Ms Mbugua who is also the author of My First Time, is a menstrual health activist actively pushing for solutions to period poverty and misinformation that is often what leads to shame.
The idea for writing My First Time, a book that features stories of Kenyan women and the first time they got their period, came from such encounters.
Books and books
Meanwhile, Bulle continues to sell a variety of books and his store also receiving Sanitary Pads from well-wishers as he continues to distribute them to women in and outside Nairobi for free.
On selling books, when asked about the numerous complaints customers have about mismatch in what is order and what is delivered, Nuria CEO had this to say.
‘For us we believe in delivering what we promise and we haven’t had any incidences of mismatches because we engage the customer thoroughly and even share with them pictures of what they purchase up to the point of packaging. Over the years we’ve built trust and as such there’s a lot of repeat business’.
Bulle can be contacted on 0729829697.
Some of the books on the shelf of Nuria Store