Purity Kimani’s journey from a small village in Kangema, Murang’a County, to becoming a respected barista in the Middle East is nothing short of inspiring.

Born and raised in a community where coffee cherries were a common sight, Purity never imagined that coffee would one day become her way of life.

Growing up, Purity and her siblings not only ate coffee cherries but also played hide and seek on the coffee trees and benches. They occasionally earned coins from picking ripe cherries, selecting them, and taking them to the village factory.

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However, life took a negative turn for Purity and her family when her parents separated, and her mother moved with them to Nairobi.

“Life in Nairobi wasn’t easy. We lived in a tiny room and shared one bed in Kayole slums with my mum, younger sister, and brother. Life was a living nightmare,” she told Tuko.co.ke.

.Purity watched as her mother struggled through sleepless nights to put food on the table.

However, the community came together to contribute to her college fees through a fundraising event, which made Purity decide to start doing manual jobs to help her mother make ends meet.

Despite graduating, Purity found it challenging to secure a job, which pushed her into joining a drinking group in the slum. Her mother was heartbroken by the change and had to collect some money and travel to Dubai in search of a job.

“I found myself In a new country, one that didn’t recognise any certificates that I had. I went through a crazy job search. I was homeless in a foreign land but couldn’t go back home, I had to find a job,” she added.

Purity found herself in a new country, homeless, and unable to go back home.

After sending out over 100 resumes, Purity landed a cashier job in the food court at Hamad Airport, Doha. While working there, she was fascinated by the pictures on the wall about Kenyan coffee farms, processing methods, and selection process at factories.

The whole thing took her back to her childhood, and she felt like she had lived through each picture, which challenged her.

Purity requested a change from being a cashier to becoming a barista, and her request was granted. She not only learnt the basics but also secured a job with Starbucks coffee in Dubai, where she worked for two years.

She then moved to % Arabica, a well-known brand where she was promoted to a Head Barista.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Purity went freelance and pioneered about three coffee shops. She later got a permanent job with Hilton Doha, where she works to date.

Purity’s friend, Frederick Chogo, praised her, especially given that she rose from being a housemaid and a failed marriage to being crowned the best barista at her workplace because of her unique art.

The high-flying barista takes pride in the fact that something which started as a childhood game in Murang’a became the anchor that is making her achieve her dreams in the Middle East.