WHAT BEING BROKE TAUGHT ME

By Ephraim Njega
I cry daily for this country because I know a lot about the sting of poverty. Not from reading the dictionary but through life experiences.

One time I was so broke. I had less than KShs 2,000 left and had run out of cooking gas. So I was wondering do I buy cooking gas and be eating Ugali-Sukuma daily or do I instead eat bread and black tea daily and stretch that cash longer.

I know social media is not the place for sob stories but we can learn from each other. Besides faking happiness does not create happiness.

Being broke was the greatest opportunity in life because it taught me lessons money can never buy. I realised you can sleep hungry in this city and life will be on as if nothing is happening.

I learnt that you cannot outsource your destiny to other people. Those people you call close friends will be the first to depart in your hour of need. You are only useful to most people for as long as your bank account is still operational.

Being broke taught me that the best education is meaningless without the opportunity to utilize it. Those papers can add to your stress since they only serve to raise the mountain of expectations on your back.

Though I am not rich, I learnt there could be genuine reasons why rich people are perceived as mean. Some experiences can change you for the rest of your life.

Above all, I learnt that being broke is not and should not be the end of life. What matters most is not your bank balance but the human capital within. Failure might be fatal but should never be final. For as long as hope is not lost, a chance to shine again will emerge sooner than you expect.

The war against poverty continues and with it many challenges. I have however found great power in elevating dignity and integrity above money. Whenever I have a choice between dignity and money I pick my dignity and leave the money to the shock of many.

Money is a great servant but a poor master. There can be no greater achievement in life than having power over money. It is better to be bankrupt than to be corrupt!