Breaking Free: From Scarcity to Abundance - A Kenyan Story

Every Kenyan knows these whispers. They echo in family gatherings, they spread through WhatsApp groups, they linger in office corridors: "Ako na mtu wake." "Hii hawezi last." "Amejifanya sana." These aren't just words – they're the voices of a scarcity mindset that has become our cultural reflex.

The Stories We Live

Picture your neighbor's daughter who started an online business from her bedroom. Instead of pride, the estate breaks into whispers: "She must have a sponsor." Or think of that young man from your village who built a successful agri-tech startup. Rather than celebrating him, people question: "Who does he think he is?"

These aren't just stories – they're the mirror of our society.

Our Journey with Scarcity

To understand where we are, we must acknowledge where we come from. Our parents survived times when:

• School fees meant choosing between children
• Jobs came through "connections"
• Bank loans were for the chosen few
• Business licenses required knowing someone who knows someone

This history wrote fear into our DNA. When your grandmother had to choose which child to send to school, when your father lost opportunities because he lacked the right surname – these experiences taught us that success was for the few, never for the many.

But here's the truth: We're still living yesterday's fears in today's world of possibilities.

The Truth About Success in Africa

As renowned African entrepreneur Vusi Thembekwayo often says, "The only way to ensure your own success in Africa is to ensure the success of those around you." This isn't just a nice quote – it's a proven strategy. Look around: every major African success story is a story of lifting others.

Signs You're Trapped in Scarcity

You might recognize yourself in these moments:

• Quickly changing your WhatsApp status when you get a good contact/deal/business
• Hearing about a tender and keeping it to yourself
• Feeling a knot in your stomach when your friend buys a car
• Thinking "lazima ako na sponsor" when someone succeeds
• Teaching someone feels like giving away your power

But Look at What's Possible: Real Stories of Change

The Gikomba Revolution

Mama Ken saw beyond the daily competition. "Tulikuwa tunaumia separately," she says. By organizing 30 women to pool resources, they transformed from competitors to partners. Today, they import mitumba directly, their children attend better schools, and their story teaches us that abundance is a choice we make together.

From One to Many

James in Eldoret didn't just build a boda boda business – he built a community of owners. "Watu waliniambia najifanya msungu," he laughs. Now, with 25 riders-turned-owners, his story shows how lifting others up lifts us all higher.

Coding Community

Brian from Kahawa West proves that knowledge grows when shared. Starting with weekend coding classes in a church hall, he built a community that has launched four successful apps. "Success isn't about being the only one who knows – it's about being one of many who succeed together."

Breaking Free: Practical Steps

In Your Daily Life:

1. Share one opportunity this week
2. Teach someone something you know
3. Celebrate someone's success publicly
4. Connect two people who could help each other

In Your Business:

• Share your failures – let others learn from your mistakes
• Partner with "competitors" for bigger projects
• Start a skills-sharing initiative

In Your Community:

• Transform your chama from savings to investment
• Create learning circles after church
• Build WhatsApp groups that share opportunities, not just gossip

The Digital Age: Tools for Abundance

Social media isn't just for memes and "Good Morning" messages. Use:

• WhatsApp groups for sharing opportunities
• LinkedIn for professional networking
• Facebook communities for market insights
• Twitter for industry updates

The Power of African Traditions

Our ancestors knew better. Look at our traditions:

• Harambee wasn't just about money – it was about collective progress
• Chama wasn't just saving – it was about lifting each other up
• Kiama wasn't just leadership – it was about collective wisdom

Your Choice Today

Every time you hear of someone's success, you have a choice:

• Whisper "ako na mtu wake"
• Or ask "how can we all succeed like this?"

Remember: When you light another's candle, your flame doesn't dim – the room gets brighter.

What legacy will you choose? Will you be remembered as the one who pulled others down, or the one who proved we could all rise together?

The next time success walks past you, remember: Their success doesn't steal from your story – it adds a chapter to our collective journey.

Because in the end, "kidole kimoja hakiui chawa" – one finger cannot kill a louse. We need each other to succeed.

Tunainuana pamoja. Together, we rise higher.

Start today. Share this message. Share your knowledge. Share your networks. Because when we break free from scarcity, we don't just change our lives – we transform our nation.

As we break free from scarcity thinking, remember: Africa's greatest resource isn't in its soil – it's in its people. And when we invest in each other's success, we build an economy of abundance that benefits us all.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Ruth Wambui Muturi , who shared valuable insights about scarcity mindset and its impact on our community. Her perspectives have enriched this discussion and helped shape our understanding of how we can move from scarcity to abundance thinking in Kenya and Africa as a whole.