Born into a loving family of six siblings in the Naroosura area of Narok South Sub-county, Pisoi Kijabe began life just like any other child—healthy, happy, and full of dreams. But everything changed when she was in class four.
At just 33 years old today, Pisoi recalls how a mysterious illness struck, damaging her spine and leaving her permanently disabled at a tender age.
“I was a bright student who loved school,” she shares. “But when the complications began, I was admitted to Kijabe Mission Hospital. The doctors tried everything to help, but my limbs never recovered.”
Forced to abandon her education, Pisoi found herself fully dependent on her parents and siblings for daily care. Life took an even harsher turn when her father—the family’s rock—passed away during her teenage years. The family began to crumble under emotional and financial strain.
“After my father died, things started falling apart,” she says. “The love that once bound us slowly faded. My siblings, who were once my support system, began to see me as a burden.”
One incident would change her life forever.
“One of my sisters stabbed me with a kitchen knife,” she recalls with deep emotion. “That day I realized I was no longer welcome in my own home.”
At just 20, Pisoi made the painful decision to leave her family behind and forge a new path on her own.
Battling resentment and despair, she eventually found solace in spiritual counseling from her local church. It was through this support that she began to heal emotionally and embrace her reality. Along the way, she discovered a hidden gift—beadwork.
“I began making traditional Maa beadwork, and little by little, I started selling to my neighbors,” she explains.
With the modest income from her crafts, she rented a small house in Naroosura town, where she continues to live and work. Over the years, Pisoi became a proud mother of four—three girls and a boy. Despite her physical limitations, she has single-handedly raised them, ensuring they have food, education, and shelter.
“I’m their only provider. My children are my best friends. I want to see them succeed in life so they can one day take care of me too.”
On market days, Pisoi, with help from her youngest daughter, navigates the streets in her wheelchair, proudly selling her handmade beadwork.
“I thank God for my talent,” she says with a smile. “I can now support my family and live a life of dignity.”
Her story is one of resilience and faith. Today, Pisoi encourages other persons living with disabilities to discover their talents and create a better future for themselves.
“Disability is not inability,” she insists. “We all have something to offer. Let’s stop begging and start building.”
