Am sitting atop this old pickup truck whose wheels have  sunk halfway into the ground.

 

It reeks of rust from long abandonment from its its owner.  The date is 26th December 2020, 9.02pm. Around me, rental structures emanate from the

ground, filling the void that was once an empty space. My mind whirls  in turmoil with plans for the infant year we area bout to usher in and

reflections of all that has happened this year.

 

 

Will the partnerships I recently put ink on paper on suffice to something for  Madavi Agency  or will their potential abate in a cloud of self doubt?

Will I finally achieve my goal of making an impact by creating 10 employment opportunities? Will the fire that has been fiercely burning inside me

still be strong or a flicker shall have taken its place by this time next year?

 

 

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I take it all in. The scent of my neighbor’s deep fried chicken coupled with the excited chatter of her children

comes in from one of the nearby windows. Across the fence, I can hear a drunken rendition of ‘Feliz Navidad’  from two men, staggering home after

the day’s events. My mother’s hens cackle from the nearby coop as they prepare to turn in for the night.  Everyone seems to be having a jolly good

time. Its Christmas after all.

 

However,  why do I feel this empty feeling gnawing away  in my  heart ?

 

Will I still be true to myself and the dream that has kept me for the last couple of years?

 

Its been a tough year, no lie. Especially in business. From breakdown in team structure to a world pandemic to  long stretches of burnout,  the year

hasn’t been short on its fair share of drama.

 

Low self esteem and lack of confidence has been a constant companion as I trudged and toiled on the streets of Nairobi in pursuit of actualizing

‘The Dream’.

 

7 years ago, I was sitting on this same pickup in completely different situation. For starters, this pickup was on its feet transporting things from one

place to another. Just like my dreams then, the space around me was lacking houses save for a few structures that provided a shelter for my family and

me. I had just cleared high school and was still undergoing full integration into the society called life. Naivete was my second name save for the picky

knowledge I had acquired from school.

 

I have given 4 years of my life to my dream. It has been a combination of tears, both happy and sad, and tons of learning.  I have met more people in

the last 4 years than I ever did in the previous 21.

 

My name is Victor Ambuyo. I was raised from the ghetto but I chose not to be defined by it.