Saumu Mbuvi had a challenging upbringing as her father, Sonko, had to reside in Nairobi to earn a modest income, leaving Saumu to live with her mother in Malindi.
Due to their living circumstances, Sonko was unable to be present during Saumu’s upbringing.
In an interview with SPM Buzz, Saumu revealed that despite the challenges, she worked hard to support her family.
She vividly remembered a particular incident when her father visited her in Malindi and generously offered her Sh30,000.
“Even though he was extremely busy, there was a time when he came to visit. At that time, my mother was struggling financially. He had just come from a meeting in Mombasa.”
Sonko made a special effort to drive to Malindi and called Saumu to meet him.
“He handed me the money, and I believe that was the first time I had ever seen such a substantial amount. He told me to hold on to it. It was meant for my school fees and personal expenses.”
In addition to the significant sum of money, Sonko also gave his daughter more cash.
“He then told me to use some of it to buy a phone. People in that area started speculating that I must have obtained the money through dishonest means because our lives began to change. It was a significant amount, almost as if he had given me thirty thousand shillings at that time.”
Saumu expressed her gratitude that despite being tired, her father made time to visit her.
She was only ten years old when she received that money in 2005.
“He had just finished his shift at four o’clock when he came to get me. He was around 18 or 19 years old. He had a strong determination to provide a better life for his children. He didn’t want us to face the same struggles he had experienced.”
As the eldest child, Saumu faced numerous challenges, but she emphasized that they never went hungry.
“There were many difficulties along the way, but we always had food to eat. We are thankful to God for His faithfulness.”
Saumu Mbuvi is now the founder of the charitable organization Pamoja We Can KE, carrying her passion for helping others forward.
