Aasai

Here is Robert Cheruiyot, alias Professor. Born in Bukacha Kapkesiego, Merigi location, Bomet County. He began his nursery school studies in the year 1992 at Bukacha Primary School and later joined Kapkesiego Primary School from class one to class five. In the year 2005 Robert transferred to Kapkesiego, a school in Narok South, Segemian, where he joined Tendwet Academy from class five to class seven. He later transferred to Segemian Primary, where he completed his eight years of primary education in the year 2005.

Robert narrates some of the challenges that he went through in his academic journey that blocked his academic progress. Being from a humble background, he had to finance his studies and venture into various businesses and farming activities. He says that after ending his studies in the year 2007, he began farming in the year 2008 by planting a small-scale potato farm. He later harvested his potatoes and used the money to purchase a motorbike. Being the first person in his village to acquire a motorbike, Robert narrates how he managed to make a substantial sum of money in those days. He later got married in the year 2009 after being somehow stable in his bodaboda business and potato farming.

However, the seasons changed, and potato farming production decreased. Robert narrates how he faced a lot of challenges in the year 2011 due to a decrease in farm production. As a member of a nuclear family, he experienced hard times because his family depended primarily on farming for their basic needs. Robert has had flashbacks to his first harvest when he had gotten a large sale. He developed, and he began to despise his humble neighbors. To cut a long story short, this is, however, Robert Cheruiyot. It made me understand what poverty means. He says that he was forced to sell his livestock and motorbike to help him recover from financial pains and to sustain his familys basic needs.

The professor texplains the challenges he faced until the year he transitioned from potato farming to the onion business. He began business as a transporter for one and a half years. He became a transporter for a businesswoman in Kisii for several months. As a transporter, he faced several challenges, including receiving lower payments from his employer.

Days passed and ideas developed. Robert, however, learned about the idea of being a businessman from a lorry driver who used to ferry onions from the depots to the market in the Nyanza region. He is currently doing amazingly well in this business, and despite that, he faces some minor challenges. Transport in his region is a major challenge. On the other hand, there are seasons when prices drop due to large production, which makes him switch to farming for some days. He finds this business to be a beneficial activity. It has enabled him to stabilize his family and to acquire some pieces of land in various parts of Nakuru and Narok counties.