Digital communication strategist Pauline Njoroge has recounted her remarkable rise from financial hardship in Nairobi to the centre of political communication, where she has worked with presidents, presidential hopefuls and leaders of international organisations.
Her story, marked by uncertainty, determination and faith, offers a glimpse into the difficult beginnings behind a career that has taken her into the company of some of the world’s most influential figures.
Before establishing herself in the political communication industry, Njoroge endured periods of financial distress that forced her to explore different ways of making ends meet.
She recalled spending nearly a month selling pens, pencil sharpeners and erasers on the streets of Nairobi in an attempt to raise money for her basic needs.
At the height of her struggles, she considered taking up domestic work instead of returning to her rural home.
She later found employment at a posho mill, an experience that underscored the uncertainty she faced as she tried to establish herself.
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Her educational journey was equally challenging. Born in Githiga, Kiambu County, Njoroge grew up in a modest Christian household.
The loss of her mother at the age of 10 left her under the care of her father and grandparents, who struggled to meet the cost of her education at Moi Girls Kamangu.
After completing her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations in 2004, she faced the daunting task of financing her further education.
In a desperate attempt to secure assistance, she travelled to Kabarnet Gardens to seek an audience with former President Daniel arap Moi.
Her efforts to meet the former Head of State were unsuccessful, as General Service Unit officers at the entrance turned her away.
However, an aide later contacted her and advised her to pursue scholarship opportunities through the Moi Foundation.
Njoroge eventually pursued her higher education later in life, earning two degrees along the way. Yet, it was not only formal education that would shape her professional future.
A longstanding passion for writing would prove instrumental in opening doors that once appeared beyond her reach.
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Her interest in writing began during her years at Moi Girls Kamangu, where she served as editor of the school magazine. The experience helped nurture a skill that would later become central to her career.
Unable to finance the activities of a non-governmental organisation she hoped to establish, Njoroge turned to social media to engage young people on issues she cared about.
Drawing from books she had read and her personal interests, she used her online platforms to share ideas and build a community around her work.
That decision eventually brought her to the attention of people who could help advance her ambitions. One of her Facebook followers shared the telephone number of Peter Kenneth, then a prominent political figure.
Armed with little more than her secondary school certificate, a Facebook page and a Twitter account, Njoroge walked into Kenneth’s office at the Treasury in January 2012.
The encounter marked the beginning of her career in political communication, a field in which she would go on to build a decade of experience.
Reflecting on the breakthrough, Njoroge recalled a moment of introspection that challenged her to recognise the resources already within her reach.
“Pauline, what do you have in your hand?” she remembered being asked.
Her answer was simple: she could write, and she had a Facebook page.
What had initially been a means of expressing herself and connecting with other young people gradually became a professional tool that would shape her career.
Over time, her work brought her into contact with presidents, presidential candidates and heads of international institutions.
She also shares meals with monarchs and prominent global leaders, a striking contrast to the hardships she experienced in her early years.
“This is a story of possibilities, of daring to dream big despite the circumstances,” she said.
She also attributed her journey to divine intervention, drawing a connection between her experiences and the biblical theme of God lifting the disadvantaged from obscurity to positions of honour.
“A story of a God who raises the poor from the dust and seats them with kings, literally,” she said.
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