A woman from Murang’a County has surprised many by recounting how her alcohol addiction drove her to sell her child for only 20,000 shillings just to satisfy her craving for alcohol.
In her narration to the Nation magazine, Wanjiru, who is now a counseling teacher at a rehabilitation center for alcohol addicts in Murang’a, explained that before her rehabilitation, she was a dangerous alcohol addict.
In her story, Wanjiru said she found herself associating with groups of drunk women after missing the opportunity to join Alliance High School due to lack of school fees.
Wanjiru said a woman introduced her to her brother, who introduced her to alcohol at the tender age of 14.
“At first, he would give me soda, then soda mixed with a bit of alcohol, and later he started giving me hard liquor. That’s how I found myself addicted to alcohol at the age of 14,” Wanjiru narrated.
The mother of one said that was the beginning of her long and challenging journey, revealing that at one point, she attempted to engage in prostitution and even tried to steal from shops.
“One day I was caught stealing and was beaten badly, then I was taken to jail and charged with theft. Luckily, family members paid my bail and got me out of jail. I also stole from many men, targeting those who appeared wealthy. I would spike their drinks before stealing from them. I made millions of money but it didn’t help me because I ended up spending it all on buying alcohol and drugs,” she was quoted in the publication.
Fearing going back to jail, Wanjiru decided to return to her home in Kiharu, Murang’a County, where her addiction worsened to the point of selling her child for 20,000 shillings.
However, she saw a glimmer of hope in 2015 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a crackdown on illicit brews, during which Murang’a Governor at the time, Mwangi wa Iria, established a rehabilitation center for alcohol addicts.
She joined the center, underwent behavioral rehabilitation, and later became a teacher to help others overcome their addiction to illicit substances.
