In the bustling heart of Kericho town, just outside Shivling
Supermarket, a splash of colour catches the eye, golden bananas, ripened
mangoes, and the deep purples of freshly picked plums, behind the vibrant
display stands 38-year-old Emily Nyamongo, her bright smile is welcoming as the
fruit she neatly arranges every day.
Nyamongo, a single mother of one, deaf and mute, has put all her hopes in the fruits business.
She operates her business in near-complete silence, yet with the energy and precision of a seasoned trader.
For two and a half
years, she has been carving a living here, relying on gestures, expressions,
and a deep well of patience to communicate with her customers.
To speak with Emily, KNA enlisted the help of sign language
interpreter Hellenstancia Manyara, and through her, Nyamongo shared the journey
that led her to become a respected grocer in Kericho.
Nyamongo enjoyed the familiar sounds of family life, her mother’s voice, her siblings’ laughter, the chirping of birds, a world filled with warmth and connection through sound.
However, when she was in Std 4, she was met with a mysterious illness that stole her hearing, turning school into a confusing and isolating place.
The chatter of classmates
faded into silence, and simple communication became a daily struggle.
She enrolled in Mumias School for the Deaf and later joined Mumias Secondary School and eventually pursued a diploma in Food and Beverage at Caren College, completing it in 2013.
Since then she has been going door to
door seeking for a job opportunity but her efforts went in vain.
Nyamongo’s life took several turns after school as she
initially sold fries to make ends meet and during a difficult period in her
marriage, she found support in a close friend who stood by her and later
introduced her to a church-based disability group known as ‘Possibility’
through which she received both moral and financial support that helped her
establish her current fruit business
Despite her resilience, Nyamongo’s journey has not been
easy, as she continues to navigate a world that often overlooks people with
disabilities
“I face many
challenges every day, communicating with customers is not always easy,
sometimes profits are very low, and when it rains heavily, the fruits get
spoiled or become hard to find, and there are days I feel the weight of stigma
from people who don’t understand my world” Nyamongo shares through her
interpreter.
She also revealed that one of her biggest struggles is
raising school fees for her child, who is currently in Grade 6, noting that the
financial burden often weighs heavily on her limited income from the fruit
business.
Nyamongo’s biggest supporters are her friends and her
mother, who have stood by her since she transitioned into business. Her
entrepreneurial spirit remains strong, and she hopes to one day secure a more
stable job or expand her grocery business with the right financial support.
“I would be grateful if the government or well-wishers could
help me get a better location and boost my capital,” she signals
Her story is one of quiet courage and a powerful reminder
that strength doesn’t always roar but sometimes stands behind a fruit stall,
communicating in silence and defying the odds with every sale.
