Digital communication strategist Pauline Njoroge has opened up about a difficult journey that took her from hawking pens and stationery in Nairobi to working with presidents, presidential candidates and heads of international organisations.
Njoroge recalled a time when she spent almost a month selling pens, pencil sharpeners and erasers in town as she struggled to make a few coins.
At one point, she nearly took up a house-help job because she desperately did not want to return to the village.
She later worked as a posho mill attendant as she navigated some of the toughest periods of her life.
Her academic journey also came much later, with Njoroge pursuing her two degrees later in life.
Despite the difficult circumstances, she said her ability to write eventually opened a different path for her.
Writing she says had been part of her life since her days at Moi Girls Kamangu, where she was the editor of the school magazine.
She later found herself working with presidents, presidential candidates and heads of international organisations, as well as dining with kings and world leaders.
Reflecting on the turning point in her journey, Njoroge recalled an inner voice that challenged her to consider what she already had at her disposal.
“Pauline, what do you have in your hand?” she recalled being asked.
Her answer was a Facebook page and the ability to write.
That realisation helped her see possibilities in a skill she had developed over the years.
Njoroge described her journey as one shaped by faith and opportunities that emerged despite her circumstances.
“This is a story of possibilities, of daring to dream big despite the circumstances,” she said.
She also reflected on the contrast between her difficult beginnings and the places her journey eventually took her.
“A story of a God who raises the poor from the dust and seats them with kings, literally,” she said.
For Njoroge, the experience is ultimately a reflection of God’s favour and faithfulness.
“As I always say, so far, so God,” she said.
