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00:00Welcome back and as I promised you earlier, we are having a very special guest in studio today.
00:07The brief conversation we've had with him off air has just me wanting to know more about him.
00:13Very accomplished.
00:15Hey, first of all, I'm a summer.
00:18Now before that, I'm a summer.
00:20Now, I'm like enough is enough.
00:23Close the laptop.
00:25You're making the rest of us look bad.
00:27But I will not do him the injustice of introducing him.
00:30Please, welcome to our show.
00:33Thank you, Tori.
00:34Please introduce yourself.
00:36Yes, my name is Kiyoko Mwenzi and thank you for having me.
00:40Yes.
00:41Yes, and I come from Kitui County.
00:44Yeah, and that's where I grew up, just like most of people, you know, who grew up, you know, back in the days.
00:51Yes.
00:52I grew up in Kitui County in Mwinki North constituency.
00:57Yes, that's where I grew up, yeah.
01:00And then you ended up Umesomo, Umesomo Kinge National School.
01:03Tell us about that.
01:05Yeah.
01:06So, growing up, I joined school at the age of 11.
01:11Oh.
01:11Yeah, so I was always like, before me, there are other seven kids, and they all had not been to school, you know.
01:21And so, I grew up looking at them, and I was always like wondering, what will become of me?
01:27Will I just be like them?
01:29You know, yeah.
01:30Yeah.
01:30So, at the age of 11, I was like, God, I want something different.
01:34I felt like I needed something to salvage myself and the family by extension.
01:39And so, and by coincidence, Kibaki happened.
01:42Yes.
01:43Oh.
01:43That is why Kibaki.
01:45Free primary education.
01:46Free primary education.
01:47And I joined school at the age of 11.
01:52And standard one.
01:53I did not, you know, go through those pre-primary school.
01:57Yes.
01:58Yeah, and it was, that's how my journey began.
02:01Wow.
02:01Yeah, all the way up to where I am right now.
02:04Okay.
02:04Yes.
02:05Already my mind is blown.
02:06Because like 11 years, the challenges already have come with that.
02:09Were you the oldest in your class?
02:11What was that experience like?
02:12And usually you'll have a lot of assumptions people make when you're class one at 11 years old.
02:19The rest of us were joining class one at four years old.
02:22That's like a huge difference.
02:24Even your body, everything about you is different.
02:26So, was that like challenging?
02:28Was that for you and for the people in your class?
02:31For you, your oldest in your class?
02:32Was it like the situation of my Kibaki, your student education, allowing for a lot more people like you there?
02:38Yeah, actually, I think I was not the oldest.
02:40Oh.
02:40But I was among the oldest.
02:41Oldest.
02:42Uh-huh.
02:42Yes.
02:43And you realize that with that generation, most of the kids who joined school at that age,
02:49most of them were already way past the school-going age.
02:52Yes.
02:53And personally, I went to three schools before I could get a school to admit me.
02:58Uh-huh.
02:59You know?
02:59Uh-huh.
03:00Because some were like, ah, no, you will bully kids.
03:03You will do all these things.
03:04Uh-huh.
03:05And so the school that was almost 10 kilometers away.
03:08Wow.
03:09Is the one that took me in and gave me a chance.
03:12Oh, wow.
03:12So now that's a daily commute.
03:13Yeah.
03:1410 kilometers.
03:14So you do 10, 10.
03:16Wow.
03:16So now, do you tell people that you used to walk, you know, there are parents who tell
03:20us those funny lies, all lies, stories of, you have to wake up in the morning.
03:26Yeah.
03:26Yeah.
03:26You have to cross the river.
03:33Was that your experience or was it a lot more somber?
03:37Uh, it was a bit, because, you know, we were a crew.
03:40Uh-huh.
03:41It was me, my older brother, and another brother.
03:44Uh-huh.
03:44So we were like three of us doing that, you know, that commute every day.
03:48So it was easier for me.
03:50I was the youngest of the three, actually.
03:51I was 11.
03:52One of them was, I think, almost 16.
03:54Uh-huh.
03:55Yes.
03:56So it was, yeah, it was tough, I would say.
04:01But I can't say that we would meet those weird, weird animals.
04:04Uh-huh.
04:05Uh-huh.
04:05Yeah.
04:06Yeah.
04:07That's...
04:07Like, speaking of, like, tough situations and tough experiences.
04:12Yes.
04:12You, you, first of all, very huge, you wrote a book.
04:15Yeah.
04:15A book called Chronicles of a Dreamer.
04:18And from the way you began the story, it makes a lot of sense that you would, you would
04:23have many things that you wanted to accomplish.
04:25Because you looked around you and you're like, yeah, this is not what I want for myself.
04:28Yeah.
04:28I want to do better.
04:29Yeah.
04:29But you've just informed us in your pre-logue.
04:33You involve us in a very intimate situation that happened to you while you had gone to
04:43school.
04:44And I know we're jumping quite ahead.
04:46Yeah.
04:46But we will come back to that question.
04:49So you're not, you're no stranger to being tough, having to tough situations out.
04:56Yes.
04:56And for you to be joining class one at 11 and ending up at Lenana school, one of the
05:03most prestigious schools in our country.
05:06Yeah.
05:07Then, and even now, what does it take for you to get to that?
05:12Like the jump from this 11 year old who doesn't know the ABCs to you are now an adult who is
05:18in at Lenana.
05:20How did that work out for you?
05:21Did you skip classes by the way?
05:22No.
05:23They said, this kid is a smart genius.
05:25Skip a class or two.
05:26No, no, no.
05:27But I had to do a lot of extra work.
05:30Yeah.
05:31As a person.
05:31Because you realize I didn't know anything about school.
05:34Yeah.
05:34Like I was like totally blank.
05:36Yeah.
05:37I can say what it takes is the willingness.
05:42The willingness to do something that has never been done by anyone close to you.
05:48Extraordinary thing.
05:49Because around me, there was nobody who had done it.
05:52But I had those dreams like, because I want to change my situation and the situation of
05:57my siblings, even the older ones.
05:59I have to do something different.
06:02When you read this book, you'll realize that there's something I call transnighty.
06:07I would read from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. in the morning.
06:13Sometimes I wasn't even understanding what I'm reading.
06:16But I'm just like, I can't sleep.
06:20Yeah.
06:20I can't sleep because the pressure pushes so much.
06:23You know?
06:24Yeah.
06:25And I was always like, I want to be the best, but there can never be.
06:31And I would read the words of Nelson Mandela that education is the strongest weapon.
06:36You know?
06:37You can use.
06:38Anyone can use to change the world.
06:40And for me, I wasn't even thinking about the world as much.
06:43I was thinking about my situation, the situation of my parents and my siblings.
06:48So the second thing was faith.
06:52I was really prayerful.
06:54I would pray even fast for like three, four days.
06:57Wow.
06:58At such an age.
06:59Wow.
07:00Sometimes not knowing what I'm praying for.
07:02But I'm just telling God, change my situation.
07:06I just want to be different.
07:08I don't want to be like, you know, what I'm seeing here because my brothers were already
07:13working, like looking after cattle, which is a very demeaning job.
07:20I also did it for like a year before I joined school.
07:24So I was around 10.
07:26Yeah.
07:26And so I was like, no, God, this can't be my life.
07:29And so I started visualizing what kind of life would I want to have, what kind of a person
07:34would I want to be, and how do I get there?
07:37I would pray, you know, join every Christian activity available, seize every opportunity
07:45to join a gathering of people who I saw at a place where I wanted to be.
07:50Yeah.
07:50And they really inspired me.
07:52They would really inspire me.
07:54And, you know, I understand that pressure, you know, you've seen the situation at home,
07:59the pressure of your siblings already working.
08:02And there's always that friction of why are you going to school?
08:06More so, you're going to school in Nairobi.
08:09What is this pressure for you to do all of these things?
08:12But, you know, your vision is solid.
08:14This is what I want to do.
08:16And while you were experiencing such, you meant, because it's a lot of pressure.
08:20It is.
08:20It is.
08:20I am in school, yes, but I do have to perform because I know where I'm going back.
08:25When I look at the people who I'm studying with, I may be significantly older than them.
08:31So I do have to prove myself.
08:34While you are going through all of this, even the ideations of suicide, did you get to experience
08:41people who, for lack of a better term, I'd say are destiny helpers, like a teacher who
08:47was able to see beyond this is just a student and see that there was a personal struggle
08:52or even somebody, faculty or somebody in who was able to see and help you navigate such
09:02trying times?
09:03Because I can't imagine how isolating and how lonely that would have been.
09:09Allow me to pay homage to those pillars because they were there, very many of them, from
09:16day one at primary school.
09:19I had teachers, at some point there's a specific teacher, he was called Mr. Kangara.
09:26That teacher would, by the time I got to standard six, he realized I had a problem, but I wanted
09:32to succeed.
09:32And so sometimes I would leave home having not eaten.
09:37My siblings have refused to go because they are so hungry they can't go.
09:41But I'm like, I want to go to school.
09:43This is the only way to change.
09:44So I would go.
09:45So he noted.
09:46And at some point he started sending me to his house, you know, to clean his utensils
09:51when I arrive in the morning.
09:53And he would put some rice specifically on those plates, you know.
09:59And he knew I will not throw it away.
10:02So I would take it, eat it, you know, clean the utensils and go to class.
10:07I really, you know, he really helped me.
10:11The other one is Mr. Mwangangi, who was the head teacher.
10:16He was really there for me.
10:17He really worked hard to make sure that I even got, he wanted me to get a scholarship,
10:22the wings to fly.
10:23Yes, with equity group.
10:25But we did not succeed.
10:27Now, on to Lenana school.
10:29I went to Lenana with like nothing.
10:31So I arrived with a box that I had been given by also someone.
10:39I arrived at Lenana and there's this lady.
10:43She's called Reverend Masika.
10:45She's the mother to the singer.
10:47Masika Masika.
10:48She was teaching at Lenana that time.
10:50And she was in charge of guidance and counseling.
10:54And this lady takes me to her office and gives me everything.
11:00Oh, wow.
11:01Like uniforms, the supplies, soups, books, pens, and stuff.
11:08You know, I had arrived in slippers and within no time I was wearing, you know, shoes, official school uniform.
11:16And she made sure I was admitted having not paid anything.
11:19Oh, wow.
11:20You know.
11:21And she worked with me until she retired in form two.
11:26Okay.
11:26Yeah.
11:27And so when she retired, that's when these struggles came now.
11:31The problems, you know.
11:34But she's one person I can say she's responsible for me being admitted there.
11:42I still keep in touch with her.
11:44Yes.
11:44And I always tell her, like, you're like a mom to me.
11:47Yes.
11:47Because were it not for you, I had not eaten anything because I was asking myself, how am I going to make it here?
11:55Yeah.
11:56There was no way I was getting admitted there.
11:59But the conspiracy of God and the world, it's called the conspiracy of the universe.
12:06Yeah.
12:06To help you get what you want, used her.
12:09Okay.
12:09Yeah.
12:10So I can say those were very strong pillars that got me to Lenana and onwards.
12:16They've consistently been there looking after me.
12:19Yeah.
12:20Goosebumps.
12:21I am goosebumps.
12:22Yeah.
12:23Literally goosebumps as you tell us the story.
12:25And I know we've loomed around it and we've kind of talked about it in passing, but I will read the first paragraph, which says,
12:35It's 3 a.m. I'm standing at the highest point in Lenana School, formerly the Duke of York.
12:42The compound is dead silent.
12:44Beside me, the school flag flutters faintly in the wind, white with a rose embedded in its center.
12:54You are at the highest point of the school.
12:57So this was not, it was a very calculated decision.
13:00Yeah.
13:01I'm sure your dorm room wasn't right next to that.
13:04It's a very calculated decision that you walk all the way up at 3 a.m. when no one can see you in the dead of night.
13:11Yeah.
13:11And you are looking around.
13:14You have thought about your life.
13:15You have thought about the successes you've had until this point.
13:19Because for some people, just getting to Lenana is a huge thing.
13:24But even with that success, even with you having made it to primary school and through primary school,
13:30and now you're in, you're getting to a point where your life is almost coming together.
13:37Yeah.
13:37What is leading you to be this desperate to end it all?
13:42The events of 2013.
13:44Hmm.
13:45So, I was not the one who was paying the school fees.
13:50Hmm.
13:50It was the then vice president.
13:53Hmm.
13:53Hmm.
13:54Hmm.
13:54It was actually paying my school fees from his own pocket.
14:00Oh.
14:00Not through the foundation or anything.
14:02Yeah.
14:03But then he lost the election.
14:04Oh.
14:05Oh.
14:06When he lost the election, that was it for me.
14:09Hmm.
14:10Oh, no.
14:11There was no land people can sell.
14:15Hmm.
14:18I was like, so, that was around that time, this time, when I'm like reaching the end.
14:26And I had a conversation with God, actually.
14:28I left the house and went to the chapel.
14:34And if you continue there, you'll see that I had made peace with it.
14:38Hmm.
14:38Because there was no way I was leaving Lenana.
14:41If I leave Lenana, my life is done.
14:42Yeah.
14:43There's no other life I could see.
14:45So, I went to the chapel and I told God, I have tried my best.
14:49Hmm.
14:49You know.
14:50I had scored 358.
14:52Hmm.
14:53Okay.
14:54Hmm.
14:55It was little much, but God gave me away to Lenana.
14:59Yeah.
14:59In his own.
14:59A national school.
15:00Yes.
15:01Hmm.
15:02And I was ranked, I think, 360 out of 370.
15:08Around there.
15:08I was almost at the bottom.
15:10Mm-hmm.
15:10Ranking with the KCP marks.
15:12Mm-hmm.
15:12And so, by this time, I'm in the top 50.
15:16Mm-hmm.
15:17At Lenana.
15:18Wow.
15:18You know, I've rose through.
15:20Yeah.
15:21But now, there is no fee.
15:24There's nothing.
15:26And every day, I'm being sent away.
15:27I come back to school.
15:29There is, people are progressing every day.
15:31Mm-hmm.
15:32I'm way behind.
15:33You're missing out.
15:34I'm missing out.
15:35Yeah.
15:35And I was totally like, it's over.
15:39And the curriculums at national schools are not the same as every other school.
15:42You guys, you are reading at a university level in Form 1.
15:47Yeah.
15:47So, when you say you're missing out, you're truly missing out.
15:50Yeah.
15:51I was really missing out.
15:52Mm-hmm.
15:52So, I was like, and there was no fee forthcoming.
15:56Oh, wow.
15:58Yeah.
15:58So, I was like, the best way I've worked hard, I've done my best to this point, but it's not
16:04working out.
16:05So, God, allow me to go in peace.
16:07I went to the chapel, made a prayer, and made the detour to the administration block, climbed
16:14all the way up there.
16:15Mm-hmm.
16:16And, yeah.
16:20Yeah, that's a difficult one to talk about.
16:22Yeah, but I, I, I, I came out of it.
16:28I did not jump.
16:30Thank God, I did not.
16:31There was still something to live for.
16:33And that is huge.
16:35And you were able to finish at Lenana, at Form 4?
16:38Yeah, I did.
16:39Mm-hmm.
16:40I did.
16:41And you got an A?
16:42Yeah.
16:42What?
16:43That's crazy.
16:45So, I get my A, and I proceed to Masinda Muliro for bachelor's in computer science.
16:53Now, you're a computer science student.
16:56Yeah.
16:56Wow.
16:56It's now, um, university.
17:00And now you found a way to get into the Wings to Fly program.
17:02Uh, actually, I never got the, the Wings to Fly.
17:07Yeah.
17:08Yeah.
17:08It never went through.
17:09Mm-hmm.
17:09But, uh, when now I transitioned to campus, uh, the alumni of Lenana School came through.
17:17Uh, specifically, uh, a guy called Hilary Teller.
17:22Mm-hmm.
17:22Shout out to Hilary.
17:23Yes.
17:24He's the guy who paid my school fees from Form 1, no, from first year to actually fourth
17:31year.
17:31Oh, wow.
17:32Fourth year first semester.
17:34Wonderful.
17:34So, there was only one semester to work for.
17:37Yeah.
17:37Mm-hmm.
17:38Yeah.
17:38And I can say having, you know, when the fee is paid, there's a little less pressure.
17:46Yeah.
17:46There's less pressure.
17:48Yeah.
17:48But then I also had my brother who was joining high school.
17:52Oh, okay.
17:53And now, since I'm the only one who looks like, uh, I'm sick.
17:56You've made it out.
17:57Yeah.
17:57You've got to pull all of us out.
17:58Yeah.
17:59Yeah.
17:59So, I would use my help, you know, to pay.
18:02Pay for his school.
18:04Yeah.
18:04But I can say the journey was fairly there at that time.
18:07Yeah.
18:07And there, I was like, there's no way I can drop out of this.
18:10Yeah.
18:11Yeah.
18:11I am going to do whatever it takes to finish it.
18:15Yeah.
18:15Yeah.
18:15So, now we are here at now.
18:17Yeah.
18:17We've seen that journey and overcoming obstacles.
18:21Very, very huge obstacles, especially for a young kid.
18:27Yeah.
18:27And there were very harsh truths that you had to reconcile with.
18:31Yeah.
18:31Yeah.
18:31But now, here you are, the conspiracy of the universe and the conspiracy of God.
18:37Yeah.
18:37You've graduated university.
18:39So, now what next after that?
18:41Without giving away too much because...
18:43Yeah, because now we have read the whole book, you guys.
18:45You are still by the book.
18:46I mean, this is crazy stuff.
18:49Yeah.
18:49Yeah.
18:49Yeah.
18:49So, one of the reasons I wrote this book is because my path was not straight.
18:57And it is not straight for all of us, actually.
19:02All of us.
19:03Yeah.
19:04Someone is not struggling with school fees.
19:07But they have a battle.
19:08They are struggling with it.
19:09They have a dream.
19:10And so, after graduating in 2019, I did not get a job.
19:18And so, I started freelancing as a developer, as a programmer.
19:23I even taught at some point.
19:25Yeah.
19:25You know.
19:26But I kept my hope alive that I will still make it.
19:31You know.
19:31And until early this year, I can say that's when I got a job.
19:40A good job, I can say.
19:41That I feel it was my dream all along.
19:47Yes.
19:47And it's coming four years later.
19:50You know, after having.
19:51After graduating.
19:53Yes.
19:53Going through all these, you know, difficult times.
19:56Mm-hmm.
19:57Yeah.
19:57So, currently, I'm working with an NGO.
19:59Mm-hmm.
20:00A global NGO.
20:01Mm-hmm.
20:01It's based in US, as their analyst, that analyst, and SEO specialist.
20:08Mm-hmm.
20:09It's a dream come true.
20:11It's a dream come true for me.
20:13Mm-hmm.
20:13That's huge, to be honest.
20:15Yeah.
20:15First of all, working with an international company, in IT.
20:19Yeah.
20:19Yeah.
20:19Ah, we know the bag is good.
20:21The bag is coming through heavily.
20:24Mm-hmm.
20:24Tell us, is it a good bag?
20:26Is it a bag which you can encourage others to pursue?
20:29And to the point where you're actually now back in school again.
20:33Yeah.
20:33At BYU.
20:34Yeah.
20:34It means the bag is bagging.
20:36So, tell us, well, how, the experience.
20:38Mm-hmm.
20:38Where you're, it's just how you're dealing with the Englishians, eh?
20:41Mm-hmm.
20:41The place you've always wanted to be.
20:43Tax bracket is different.
20:45NGOs, you guys, your whole budget is just marketing.
20:47I'm not going to pressure yourself.
20:49So, tell us, how is that experience for you?
20:52Do you encourage others to pursue it?
20:54Yeah.
20:54Yeah, actually, one of the most important things I say is that, as you dream, be willing
21:03to pay the price.
21:04Mm-hmm.
21:05Yeah.
21:07I've paid my price.
21:08I still feel I'm not yet there fully.
21:10Mm-hmm.
21:10So, the bag, not yet, as such.
21:12Mm-hmm.
21:13Yeah.
21:14But, I say, I see I'm there.
21:17Yes.
21:17You're getting there.
21:18I'm getting there, right?
21:19Now, even if somebody tells you, school fees, you're not panicking.
21:22Mm-hmm.
21:23You know?
21:23Yeah.
21:24Mm-hmm.
21:24And one of the good things with this university is very subsidized.
21:28Okay.
21:29Very well subsidized.
21:30Okay.
21:30Um, even actually for young people in Kenya.
21:34Yeah.
21:34They can, you know, enroll.
21:37Mm-hmm.
21:37Okay.
21:37And the payment is not very expensive.
21:39Okay.
21:39It's very, very few dollars.
21:41Okay.
21:42Some courses costing up to, like, 20 sometimes.
21:44$20 for full course?
21:46Yeah.
21:46That's crazy.
21:47Yeah.
21:47Because it's sponsored by the church.
21:48Oh.
21:49Yeah.
21:49Okay.
21:50The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
21:52Okay.
21:52They are the main sponsors of the, most of the programs there.
21:55Okay.
21:55Okay.
21:55Okay.
21:56So, it's, that's why I'm able to even pay this.
21:58Yeah.
21:59You know?
21:59Do several certifications alongside them.
22:02Mm-hmm.
22:02I'm proceeding well.
22:03And I would encourage any young person.
22:05Yeah.
22:05To, to pursue education.
22:08Mm-hmm.
22:08Keep building your muscles.
22:10Mm-hmm.
22:11Academically.
22:12Mm-hmm.
22:12Okay.
22:12There's no limit to that.
22:14I have one last question.
22:15Yes.
22:16Because you're in the space of technology.
22:18Yes.
22:18Uh, computer science and now pursuing other certifications.
22:22Yes.
22:23If your book, Chronicles of a Dreamer.
22:26Mm-hmm.
22:26By Kyoko Muinzi.
22:28Yes.
22:28If you found AI.
22:30Yeah.
22:30Has made a rendition of this.
22:32Because this is happening.
22:33Yeah.
22:33AI is taking people's good work.
22:35Yes.
22:35And making it even better.
22:37Yeah.
22:37Yeah.
22:37That people like the, the new than the original.
22:40Yes.
22:41So, if you saw Chronicles of a Dreamer.
22:44Taken up by AI.
22:46Yeah.
22:46Eh?
22:47And made into an even, an even bigger thing.
22:51Yeah.
22:51Now it is already big.
22:52Yeah.
22:52Even an animated.
22:53It is animated series.
22:55Because you can make it.
22:58It's not even that long.
22:59It's like an hour you're done with a full animated series.
23:02How would you feel?
23:04And is that something that you're planning on getting ahead of?
23:07Yeah.
23:07It's so painful.
23:08It's already happening.
23:09Mm-hmm.
23:10With the book.
23:11It's already being sold.
23:12It's been taken by several bad parties.
23:14Mm-hmm.
23:15Yeah.
23:15And I saw that the other day.
23:17Because the first publishing I did on, exclusively on Amazon.
23:21Oh.
23:21And then from Amazon now, I started doing the hard copies.
23:24Because the demand was a bit high.
23:26Yeah.
23:26Yeah.
23:26Yeah.
23:27So, I started selling the hard copies.
23:29Yeah.
23:29And so, as I was looking at my report, I realized that,
23:32several people have reproduced the book.
23:34Oh, no.
23:35On the first.
23:36Oh, wow.
23:37And they are even selling it higher than I.
23:39Chao.
23:40That's the price.
23:40What do you mean?
23:41Yes.
23:41That's the price of you?
23:42Yeah, man.
23:43You know?
23:44That's painful.
23:44Yeah.
23:45Yeah.
23:45But I'm like, if this book can help people to keep dreaming, to keep going, if the cost
23:54is being reproduced out there by other people, so be it.
23:58Because Miami is not even making the money.
24:00The money, it's telling the story.
24:02Yeah.
24:02I'm actually, the proceeds from the book are going to the kids from my locality.
24:09Every time you speak, I'm just like, wow, what a good man.
24:12And is this good man in the market, out of the market?
24:16Okona mutu.
24:17You go sambole.
24:19Ama you're just alone.
24:20Because you can't be this good and naunabakitu with you.
24:23I'm still working on myself.
24:27I'm not yet there.
24:28So, currently, I'm not available.
24:32You're focusing on important.
24:34I'm going to put me first.
24:35Yeah, exactly.
24:36And that is so true.
24:37Yeah.
24:38But like, with all the stuff that you've gone through in this space where mental health
24:41is such a big thing, I'm curious, sorry, I am curious to find out, is it something
24:48that you've done therapy?
24:50Have you gone to therapy?
24:51Have you spoken to someone?
24:52Because it's a lot of trauma.
24:54Yes, yes.
24:54Have you spoken to someone and have you seen any good results?
24:57Yeah, I have, by the way.
24:58And there is no fear, you know?
25:02Nobody should be ashamed of sometimes breaking down once in a while.
25:09Yeah.
25:10It's okay.
25:10Yeah, I'm a man.
25:11Part of healing.
25:12It happens.
25:12Part of healing, exactly.
25:13Yeah.
25:14And I have been through several sessions, personally, to get to a point I can speak about my life.
25:21Sometimes you are breaking down.
25:22Yes.
25:23That was breaking down.
25:23Because it's crazy.
25:25Yeah.
25:25There's a time I couldn't.
25:26I can imagine.
25:27I couldn't.
25:28Yeah.
25:28There's a specific experience of me walking from Lenana to Makongeni.
25:33Not Makongeni.
25:34Way past Makongeni, a place called Matu.
25:37You know?
25:38Matu.
25:39Yeah.
25:40Matu is on your way to Mwingi.
25:41How many hours of walking?
25:43So I walked from 8 a.m. to around midnight.
25:48You know?
25:49From Ngongrod to Makongeni?
25:51Yes.
25:52Makongeni, past Makongeni to Matu.
25:54Matu.
25:54Past Kidhimani.
25:55Matu is past Kidhimani.
25:57So that experience, because it's not that I did not ask for help.
26:05Mm.
26:05You know?
26:07Yeah.
26:07I was asking for help.
26:09I had been slapped by the principal.
26:12He told me, you know, go away, man.
26:14Mm.
26:14And I was like.
26:15So I decided to go.
26:17Mm.
26:17Just go.
26:18I walk, walk, and go home.
26:19Mm.
26:20You know?
26:20Because I didn't have the fare.
26:22Mm.
26:22And so along the way, I'm asking people to help me just get somewhere.
26:26Mm.
26:26You know, those, um, the lifts.
26:30Mm-hmm.
26:31They would just pass me.
26:32Mm-hmm.
26:33Now I decided, ah, let me just go.
26:35Mm-hmm.
26:35So I go to Matu, and I, I, you know, I collapsed.
26:39Because I had not eaten.
26:40Mm-hmm.
26:40You do dehydration.
26:41Yeah, I'm so dehydrated.
26:42I'm literally everything.
26:44Mm-hmm.
26:45And so such things, you're a young person.
26:49You tend to ask yourself.
26:51Like you don't understand what's happening to you.
26:53Why me?
26:54Mm-hmm.
26:55And I was a prayerful thing, person also.
26:57I would ask God, why me?
26:59Mm-hmm.
27:00You know?
27:01What mistake could I have done?
27:05Wow.
27:05You know?
27:05Wow.
27:06So these things, ah, they get to you.
27:09And you know, my dream, one of my biggest dreams was to reconcile my parents.
27:13Mm-hmm.
27:13You know?
27:14But unfortunately, my dad passed away when I was in Form 3.
27:17Mm-hmm.
27:19So I was working this hard, all this hard to make sure I help this dream come true.
27:25Even though he's gone.
27:26Mm-hmm.
27:26Even though he's gone.
27:27And even after he passed, I went to his grave and spoke to him, telling him, Dad, I had this
27:32and this in mind.
27:33Mm-hmm.
27:33Even though you're gone, I'll still do it.
27:35Mm-hmm.
27:36You know?
27:36Mm-hmm.
27:36So these things later caught up with me, you know?
27:41They caught up with me and I was, I became very, very, very bitter in life.
27:46And that's when I decided, ah, I think I need help.
27:50Yeah.
27:51I need help.
27:51Yeah.
27:52So I went to church through the church counselors.
27:56Yeah, I got several sessions booked.
27:58Mm-hmm.
27:59I still attend sessions.
28:01You should.
28:02I still do.
28:03It's important.
28:04Yeah.
28:05But even telling that story with a straight face and not crying, oh, my God, I'm holding
28:09back tears.
28:10You guys need to get this book.
28:12You guys need to get this book.
28:13And where do people follow you on social media to hear more of your stories and to purchase
28:18a copy?
28:18And to purchase a copy.
28:19Where do we get it?
28:20So you can get an e-copy on Amazon.
28:23It's available.
28:23Mm-hmm.
28:23They had copies.
28:24I'm still, you know, talking to the Nuri bookshop.
28:27Mm-hmm.
28:28To a stock.
28:28Mm-hmm.
28:29I've been publishing, like, batches of hundreds.
28:31Mm-hmm.
28:31So they've all been going, you know, so I've not had, like, a spare to stock.
28:37Mm-hmm.
28:37But once you reach out to me, I still, I use, I just use my same name.
28:41Mm-hmm.
28:41Kiyoko Muinzi on all platforms.
28:44Mm-hmm.
28:44Yeah, on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, everywhere.
28:48Okay.
28:48Just Kiyoko Muinzi.
28:50Okay.
28:50Man.
28:51That's so cool.
28:52So please do grab a copy.
28:55And I hope that, you know, over the weekend, you get to read this tale.
29:01Because it is, ooh, it is a lot.
29:05And it is very inspiring.
29:07Yeah.
29:07And it is a story about overcoming whatever challenges.
29:11Mm-hmm.
29:11There's nothing too big that you cannot overcome.
29:14But in the moment, it feels...
29:16Yeah.
29:17This is do or die.
29:18Yeah.
29:19There's nothing in the horizon.
29:21Yeah.
29:21But once you get over it, and you're like, oh, it wasn't that bad, actually.
29:27Or it was bad.
29:27It was bad, but I was bad that I got through this.
29:32Oh, man.
29:32So thank you so much for sharing your story and being so vulnerable with us.
29:37Yeah.
29:37Not many people are vulnerable with their story.
29:39Thank you very much.
29:39People are very selfish about, you know, what's going on in their lives.
29:43Yeah.
29:44And, yeah.
29:46I really do hope that an audio book comes out.
29:49Because you telling this story in your own voice can also, there's just a way you're
29:54delivering the story.
29:55Yes.
29:56It can be lost in text.
29:57Yeah.
29:58So if you are planning on doing that, please let us know as well.
30:01I will do.
30:01Everyone will catch you on social media.
30:03Yes.
30:03At Kyoko Munzi across all your social media platforms.
30:07I can't wait to see you doing YouTube videos about some of the chapters of the book.
30:11But, yeah.
30:12What an inspiring story.
30:13I am inspired.
30:14We are all inspired.
30:15True.
30:15We hope that you are inspired, too, and we get you a copy of this beautiful book.
30:19Chronicles of a Dreamer.
30:21My name is Tori Faye.
30:22Have a lovely weekend.
30:24My name is Kasomi Kasomi.
30:25We'll see you next time.
30:26And we are.
30:27And I am Kyoko Munzi.
30:28You guys be inspired.
30:30Bye.
30:31Bye-bye.