Biz Lounge: How Spirulina became saving grace for univerisity drop out

From a young age, Evans Sindani had a deep love for reading and acquiring knowledge across various fields. 

His mother, recognizing his curiosity, nurtured this passion by buying him books beyond his grade level, fostering a lifelong thirst for learning.  

This early exposure to diverse knowledge sparked an interest in research that only grew stronger when he joined high school. 

"My mum has always supported me. Even when I was younger, she would buy me books from higher classes, and I absolutely loved it," he recalls.  

Sindani says he actively participated in competitions like the Earth Prize and the Junior Breakthrough Challenge, further honing his investigative skills. 

This dedication made him the ideal candidate to manage his school's Spirulina demonstration site, a project initiated by Engineers Without Borders – Israel.  

In high school, Sindani eagerly took on the responsibility of caring for the Spirulina demo site after joining the club. 

His commitment went beyond regular school hours—he tended to the site on weekends and even during holidays, deepening his understanding of Spirulina cultivation and its benefits.  

Despite the demanding nature of his research and responsibilities, Sindani excelled academically, earning a B+ in his KCSE exams. He then joined Kenyatta University to pursue a degree in Nursing and Public Health.  

"Even though working with Spirulina took up a lot of my study time, I made sure to push myself harder so I wouldn't fall behind. There were nights I had to burn the midnight oil just to keep up," he says.  

Notably, Sindani’s passion for research didn't stop at university. Determined to make Spirulina cultivation more cost-effective, he began researching ways to reduce production costs. 

During this research, he developed a fertilizer aimed at accelerating Spirulina multiplication.

In collaboration with Engineers Without Borders, Sindani shared his findings, which are currently undergoing testing and approval.

If successful, his innovation could cut production costs by 70 percent.  

However, just as he was completing his first year of university, financial constraints forced him to defer his studies.

His mother, his greatest supporter, was unable to raise his school fees.  

As he grappled with this setback, an opportunity arose—Engineers Without Borders was seeking individuals to expand knowledge on Spirulina and high-protein produce for farmers.  

"When I heard about the opportunity, I took it. I didn’t want to sit at home after deferring my studies," he says. "Now, I get to train farmers and local communities on Spirulina and high-protein produce."  

Though he now works at an Agricultural Training Centre, his ultimate goal remains clear, saving enough money to return to university and make his mother proud.  

"It was heart breaking for my mother to see me defer my studies. She has always been my biggest supporter, and I hope to return to school and make her smile once I’ve saved enough," he shares.  

For Sindani, sharing knowledge on Spirulina and high-protein farming is more than just a job—it’s a dream come true. 

As he continues his research, he remains hopeful that his innovations will create lasting change while paving the way for his own academic journey.