Defying all Odds: The Story of a Peasant Boy

Most children depend on their parents’ inclination to nurture their livelihood and well being. But for one Kariuki (meaning he who dies and is reborn in Kikuyu), the intricacies of his life began way before he was born. This story is based on Kariuki’s real life experiences of growing up in the countryside. It is about biting poverty and sheer determination to succeed in life. The story is set in a poor typical African Agricultural Village situated in the famous Kenya’s highlands in the heart of Kikuyu ‘Nation’. Kariuki, the son of the 'Village Beauty' is born out of wedlock. He grows under the patronage of his less caring foster father, sickly mother and aging grandmother. Well aware of his poor background, he works hard to attain a place in one of the prestigious national secondary schools in Kenya – Starehe Boys. This turns out to be just but one step towards self-actualization. Series of events continue to unpack - from early school days through college to the world of business and entrepreneurship. The story is one that carries with its own lessons to both the strong-willed and the faint-hearted. It is a story of courage; a story of taking risks; a story of defying all odds. It is a story of possibilities and what life promises. It could not have been better told!