She is the founder of In Motion Delivery, a courier service based in Mombasa she set up in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But Fatma Mazrui’s company, which has grown over the past three years, does more than just deliver packages — it connects small businesses with customers, offering a much-needed reliable service for micro, small and medium enterprises.
Her journey as an entrepreneur reflects her vision to fill a gap in the local market while empowering MSMEs. Before launching In Motion, Mazrui worked for DHL, a global company providing courier, package delivery and express mail services to millions of people annually.
She almost gave up on entrepreneurship after her first delivery business failed. She had set up Nitume Online in 2016, but the business did not take off.
In 2020, after the outbreak of Covid-19, Mazrui realised many Mombasa residents were relying on courier services for essential deliveries.
But she noticed the couriers were unreliable. Dissatisfied with the quality of service, particularly with food deliveries, Mazrui’s frustrations grew.
“In Mombasa, a lot of people just set up a bike with a box and call themselves couriers,” she said. For many MSMEs, this presented risks. “Unscrupulous riders would disappear with packages, leaving small businesses to shoulder the losses — whether it was a perfume worth Sh7,000 or a freshly baked cake.”
Mazrui set up In Motion Delivery to offer professionalism, accountability and customer service that extends beyond delivery.
“We are registered and anchored in providing a full customer experience. In the event of loss, damage, or delay, our customers know where to turn,” she told the Star in her Mombasa town office.
But just one year into business, Mazrui noticed many MSMEs in the coastal region struggled to grow. A significant part of this challenge lay in their lack of financial literacy and business management skills.
“Many would make a sale but then struggle to fulfil the next order due to poor financial planning or personal emergencies,” she said.
To address this, In Motion Delivery started hosting digital education programmes for small business owners. What began as a small workshop in 2022 for 30 participants quickly grew into a full-day event by 2023, attracting 100 MSMEs from Mombasa and other regions.
The Digital Lioness workshops focus on essential business skills like record-keeping, understanding finances, and social media marketing.
Mazrui says many MSMEs don’t understand why they are ineligible for loans despite years in business. “We teach them how to track their cash flow, manage expenses and present these records to banks to improve their eligibility for financial support.”
This knowledge empowers entrepreneurs to become more financially resilient and capable of upscaling.
Recognising the need for practical local solutions, In Motion partnered with FabPos, a locally developed app that simplifies point of sale transactions, customer relationship management and invoicing for MSMEs.
“Unlike other softwares from India or South Africa that are difficult to navigate, FabPos is homegrown and our clients quickly grasped its utility,” she said.
This practical approach, combined with hands-on training, ensures MSME owners leave the workshops with actionable skills. “We give everyone the tools they need — apps, notebooks and even practical assignments like photography sessions - to improve their product marketing,” Mazrui said.
The aim is to eliminate excuses and ensure each participant leaves better equipped to succeed. Her desire to uplift MSMEs led her to research on why certain areas like Likoni, Changamwe and Jomvu in Mombasa were less active in the delivery business.
Her findings revealed a perception problem. “People in these sub-counties believe customers on the island (Mvita) won’t buy their products.” In Motion has launched training cohorts specifically targeting MSMEs in these areas. “The response has been overwhelming,” Mazrui said.
The first cohort from Likoni saw 70 applicants. The training is designed to break down mental barriers while teaching practical skills like leveraging social media for sales.
In Motion has advertised another training in Changamwe, and so far over 187 participants have registered. “We work on the person first, building their confidence before moving on to the technical aspects of running a business,” Mazrui said.
As In Motion Delivery continues to grow, the founder remains focused on her mission of empowering small businesses.
“Our job doesn’t end with a delivery. We’re hand-holding MSMEs and showing them how to be consistent, especially in social media marketing, which is crucial in today’s digital age.”
Her motivation is to transform her community. “I would like to grow with my community. I know there’s someone who told me, ‘Hey, you’re not Jesus. You cannot save everyone.’ But that is what drives me — my community.”
She wants to see her community grow. “There are opportunities, but we need to change our mindsets. We need to change how we decide to approach issues.” Since 2022, she has reached over 500 individuals. “This is through various programmes such as Digital Lionesses and Digital Cubs, where we focus on empowering MSMEs.
“We have cohorts. We’ve already seen significant progress. The numbers may seem modest because we are working on a small scale, but we’re making a difference.”
Digital Cubs is a pilot programme targeting small businesses. “Remember, it’s free. We are not charging, compared to what we usually charge for the Digital Lionesses, because right now with the Digital Cubs, you’re looking at people who are earning Sh10,000 or less in revenues per month,” she said.
Her goal isn’t profit but impact. Mazrui acknowledges the times are hard but despite these challenges, she remains committed to the vision of uplifting her community.
“We’re in a position to feel it because we’re not just providing services; we are part of the struggle. We push on because we have to. Our community depends on it.”