From Kenyatta Market to your doorstep.
How we began
Braiding Nairobi began with our founder Natachi Onwuamaegbu.
As a Fulbright–National Geographic Storytelling Fellow, Natachi spent months in Nairobi's Kenyatta Market, interviewing female hair braiders and the key players who shape their lives. The stories she collected on her National Geographic blog surfaced something bigger than a research project: a clear economic opportunity and a deep need for storytelling and social entrepreneurship centered on African women.
In September 2022, that work became Braiding Nairobi.
It also became The Ndeza Collective — our home for the storytelling, photography, and social impact arm of what we do. Through articles profiling at least 20 people, alongside videos, photo collections, audio pieces, and a book, the Ndeza Collective harnesses storytelling, technology, and the gig economy to grow beyond Kenyatta Market, Nairobi, and Kenya.
One year of stories, styles & sisterhood.
We recently celebrated our 1-year anniversary of Braiding Nairobi's success, bringing you the best hair styles and stylists, right to your door. We invited our loyal customers and spotlighted our talented braiders in our first ever braid-a-thon.
Meet our founder
A strong belief in the power of accessibility, storytelling, and tech.
Natachi Onwuamaegbu
Natachi Onwuamaegbu is an entrepreneur, journalist, and CEO/co-founder of the Ndeza Collective's Braiding Nairobi, a storytelling-driven app that connects customers with hair braiders for at-home services. She has written on race, art, and culture for The Washington Post, Al Jazeera English, Cosmopolitan, The Boston Globe, and more.
A Fulbright–National Geographic Storytelling Fellow (2022–23), Natachi documented the lives of braiders in Nairobi's Kenyatta Market for her National Geographic blog. She earned her BA with Honors in Political Science at Stanford, with minors in Creative Writing and African & African American Studies, and is now pursuing her MBA at London Business School. Her first book, How to Fall in Sane, is in its third draft.