I grew up in a remote village in the western part of Kenya. As the firstborn son in my family, I carried many responsibilities from a young age. My parents were middle-class peasant farmers, and we depended entirely on farming for our survival. Being the firstborn, I had to take care of my younger siblings. As they often say, firstborns are like second parents—and from my experience, that is very true.

Growing up with such responsibilities taught me a lot. I learned how to lead by example, to sacrifice, and to embrace hard work and dedication. I had to step up because my parents were always busy working on the farm.

Despite these challenges, I still attended the local village school, where I acquired my basic education from lower primary all the way to Form Four. However, life became more difficult when my parents separated while I was in Class 8. From that point on, we remained with our father, and the responsibilities increased even more. We had to work extra hard to support ourselves.

Due to the weight of these responsibilities, I did not perform well in my Form Four exams. However, I did not give up. After completing secondary school, I joined the National Youth Service (NYS), which later sponsored me to pursue a certificate course in Electrical Engineering. I successfully completed my training.

Although I did not secure a job afterward, I chose to return to farming—the same activity that had always sustained my family. I believed it would continue to provide for us, and it has remained a reliable source of survival.

Today, I am grateful for the little I have. I have learned that life is a journey that requires resilience, hard work, dedication, and self-discipline.

With love and gratitude,
Your future self,
Shadron Kibet