Everyone has their story to tell - stories of their upbringing and the journey that makes them who they are and what they are today.
Keep moving - is the mantra of many who are out to find themselves and achieve their career goals.
For Robert Gakure, his undying spirit to be a news presenter led him towards one of the lowest moments in his life - a period that lasted for eight years. Through it all, he emerged victorious and even more driven to accomplish his goals in life.
The presenter spoke to Kenyans.co.ke, detailing how he survived despite the odds being stacked against him.
"Fresh out of college in 2010, I was armed with a diploma in media studies, " he began, " I was optimistic and landed an internship at Radio Maria in Murang'a," he recalled.
After completing his internship, he started looking for another job. Unfortunately, none was forthcoming so he went back to the station and volunteered between 2011 and 2019.
What he initially believed was just a short term situation turned into eight years of working without pay.
How did he survive? A combination of determination, ingenuity and the grace of God, he says. "I was a host of a gospel show and my faith kept me alive."
He made plans with two of his friends and rented a bedsitter that went for Ksh 2,100 and so each would pay Ksh 700. At the time, Robert due to making almost no money could barely make rent.
"We would sleep on a mattress on the floor, but since we couldn't all fit on it, two slept on a sheet," he reminisced.
When it came to food, he would have ugali and water for breakfast. His mother would pack githeri for him whenever he visited home, so that helped them cut down on their already low costs.
The journalist also used to dry sukuma wiki he would pick from his mother's place, "that would last almost a week," he recalled.
"Once we almost burnt the one-room shack we lived in after a paraffin stove toppled while making ugali," he further narrated.
During this period, he prayed and hoped for a better life, sometimes passing by ATMs at night just to touch and pray for God to bless him with an income.
His story, however, took a positive turn when he went for a T.V interview in October 2018 and landed a job as a reporter job for Mount Kenya TV a station based in Nairobi. He believes he got the TV job because the interviewers were familiar with his radio work.
He has been visiting institutions like schools, using his story to motivate people. He intends to start an academy for the youth to nurture talents.
Robert now works as both as a TV reporter for Mount Kenya TV and as a show host at Iganjo FM where he runs the Kirimaini Show every Sunday morning from 6 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Aside from his job, he is a singer, with some of his work on YouTube; Wendo which is a wedding song and My Niwe.
His talents have not gone unnoticed as in 2017, the scribe was nominated for an award on Xtreem awards and in 2020 he bagged a nomination at the Central Gospel Awards.
Parting shot: "Learn to see the value in everybody, humility is key to success. In any change we wish to see in this world, let's be that change."
