Kenyan nurse based in the Netherlands Kadogo Nyawade on Saturday, March 26, narrated how a translation job opened landed her in Europe months after she graduated.
Speaking to Daring Abroad in the Netherlands, Nyawade disclosed that her 32-year-stay in Europe began in 1984 after she assisted foreigners to communicate with local businessmen in the art and craft industry.
After aiding the members of an Austrian-based non-governmental organization, they invited her to their home country.
"After six weeks, they called me and I thought it was just for an evaluation of the work we did but when I got there, I found a ready apartment and job," she explained.
Nyawade began working as a curio shop attendant and would travel to Kenya and Africa to source products to sell. During one of her trips, her fortunes turned for the better.
"When I was in Kenya, I met a dutch man. We got married in Salzburg and moved to the Netherlands to start our family," she narrated.
Although her background was in housekeeping and catering, she got a job at a production company. She then moved to Phillips, an international firm that paid had better pay.
However, Nyawade went into depression which informed her decision to change her career at 42 years of age.
"The company was closed because they relocated to Eastern Europe; I sat at home for one year and became depressed. At 42, I went for nursing and now I am a nurse," she stated.
For three years, she went to class to pursue her newly found dream. The Kenyan mother then worked with the organisation where she trained for five years before she opened her own venture.
"My clients call me whenever they need me and specialised in palliative care. I work with terminal patients and those diagnosed with dementia," she stated.
While working in the Netherlands, she supported her family back home and even assisted some of her relatives to secure jobs in Europe.
Having benefitted from the goodwill of strangers she launched a foundation through which she sponsors needy Kenyan students through school.
"I set up the Kadowinja Foundation and I invested in the students, some of who have already graduated while others are still in high school," she stated.
In addition, she has also invested back home by setting up the Kanyawigi Dala Resort in Kisumu which offers hospitality and accommodation facilities.
