Angel Waruinge is one of Kenya’s most talented actresses. She is famously known as Miss Morgan of Tahidi High. Miss Morgan was a no-nonsense deputy principal who hardly ever smiled in the high school drama. She played her role exceptionally. Students kept their distance when she passed by since she was not the type to mess with. Angel, on the other hand, is a laid-back, intelligent, and easygoing individual.
She planned to marry her baby daddy, but it did not work out because he was not the right man. They were engaged and planning to marry. But because she cancelled the engagement, She was termed as irresponsible woman.
Elders warned her father against accepting the bride price. They advised him not to take the dowry due to his history with women; this was all true, as she later discovered. When she turned down the opportunity for him to be Miss Morgan’s husband, her daughter’s father decided to cut her and their child out of his life.
Waruinge courageously revealed how she battled depression and alcoholism during her worst days. She admitted to drinking when things did not go as planned.
She also stated that she is currently enrolled in a two-year psychology degree, which she says allows her to use her prior experiences to teach future generations. Angel’s battle with depression and alcoholism has been well-documented; yet, what was never mentioned in any of the stories was how she managed to turn things around and avoid the dreaded “rock bottom.”
JOURNEY WITH ALCOHOL
Waruinge is known for playing the strict deputy principal of Tahidi High, Miss Morgan.
She talks of challenges she faced after Tahidi show ended, including living beyond her means.
“I basically went through it. What happens when you start becoming famous, you start living this life, you start becoming broke, but you still have to live to that expectation. Then you start living an empty life,” Waruinge explained.
The actress says she fell into a mental and identity crisis. It was then that depression set in and she sought solace in alcohol.
“So, when you start living an empty life, what happens? You start getting stressed… I went through depression. And depression can take you to alcohol. Some other people will just hide in the Christian faith. I embraced alcoholism at some point but luckily I had a strong family and friends who noticed what was happening to me,” she said.
During this period, she gained weight and started losing her self-esteem.
“When I was down there, I was trying to lose weight. When I lost myself, I started losing self-esteem. You’re getting broke because you’re mismanaging your finances. I knew I could get out, but I didn’t know how.”
Eventually she gave herself time to heal by changing her environment and moving out of her place.
