In 1987, Isaac Gichengo went to the United States with dreams of a better life.
Little did he know that his path would be fraught with both triumphs and tribulations, leading him from poverty to wealth and ultimately back to square one.
Arriving in Pennsylvania, Gichengo started from scratch, taking on odd jobs to make ends meet.
However, his perseverance paid off when he secured a position at a bank and steadily climbed the ranks.
Along the way, he found love and married an American citizen, with whom he was blessed with two children.
Life seemed to be looking up for Gichengo as he provided his family with the comforts and opportunities he never had growing up.
Yet, behind the façade of success, trouble brewed within his household.
Gichengo revealed that his wife’s extravagant spending habits drained their savings and retirement funds. Despite working two jobs to support his family and even financing his wife’s education, he found himself drowning in financial turmoil.
“I was going through a lot of emotional abuse and to all the men out there going through the same, decide to leave and never look back,” he stated, during an interview with KDTV on Monday.
The aftermath of his divorce brought further hardships. Gichengo was ordered by the court to pay substantial spousal support and child support, leaving him with meager resources for himself.
“We had a hearing in less than a month, and the judge ruled that I have to pay alimony and child support. They took my paycheck and I was left with nothing, I had to move,’ he stated.
His assets were frozen, and he nearly lost his passport, forcing him to return to Kenya due to financial constraints.
Back in his homeland, Gichengo faced new challenges. A failed investment in a borehole project further depleted his finances, leaving him in a precarious situation.
“When I came here, I dug a borehole in a piece of land I own in Kijabe. The contractor, however, misused Ksh2 million without completing the project,” he stated.
However, with the support of his family and friends, he found solace and assistance as he worked to rebuild his life.
