For many job seekers in Kenya, hope comes with its share of heartbreak. This is the story of Nusi Nyaanga, a man who faced empty promises, deception, and disappointment, yet still believes that one day things will turn around.
In his first story, Nyaanga recalls a moment of hope when he met a man from Kisumu through a friend during a Sabbath service with a small SDA group.
After a brief conversation, the man promised to help him find a job and invited him to the Kisumu County offices the following Monday.
“To me, it felt like a door had finally opened after a long, fruitless job search,” Nyaanga said.
The challenge was that he didn’t even have fare to Kisumu. Luckily, his brother supported him financially. He carefully prepared his documents—CVs, certificates, and even polished his worn-out black shoes.
His only suit, though creased, was packed to be ironed at a friend’s place before visiting the office.
He arrived early, exactly at 8 a.m. as instructed, and called the man. The man said he was in a meeting and would attend to him shortly. Nyaanga waited—from morning until 5 p.m.
“His calls stopped being answered. I sat there the whole day, starting with hope and slowly descending into disappointment,” he recalled.
Eventually, he gave up, boarded a bus back to Kisii, completely drained both physically and emotionally. To this day, the man has never called him back.
In the second story, Nyaanga describes an even harsher experience that cost him a significant sum of money.
Around 2014, while preparing to finish a job in Congo, he met a friend who told him about job opportunities in Kisii County. Without hesitation, he sent his documents.
Soon after, the friend began requesting small amounts of money under the guise of “facilitation,” which Nyaanga sent, believing a legitimate job awaited him.
After returning to Congo, he was told the employment letter was ready, but he needed to travel urgently to Kenya. More money was demanded to “secure” his position.
Under pressure and persuasion from another mutual friend, Nyaanga sent more funds and even resigned from his job, leaving months of his contract behind.
“I left my work believing a new opportunity awaited me in Kenya,” he said.
Upon returning, he found himself wandering the streets of Kisii with no job. The man continued giving excuses, moving him around for weeks and months. By the time Nyaanga realized it was a scam, he had lost KSh 100,000.
When he tried to follow up for a refund, nothing came of it.
The situation worsened when he encountered the scammer’s wife to explain what had happened. Instead of taking responsibility, the man turned against him, making false accusations and threats.
“That experience completely changed me,” Nyaanga said.
Hurt and financially drained, he left Kisii for Nakuru to start over.
Despite everything, Nyaanga says he has chosen to forgive and move on. He believes that hard work and persistence will eventually open doors for him.
To anyone who has been deceived or lost money through trust, his message is clear: you are not alone. It hurts, but the journey is not over.