At the heart of Kericho's bustling main stage, under a modest shade built by the County Government, sits Josea Kipokorir Barchok, a 48-year-old shoe shiner whose quiet perseverance has become a symbol of resilience and ambition.
Barchok spoke to KNA about his journey that began over two decades ago after dropping out of school in class 8 due to his parents financial constraints.
He explained that due to the financial challenges he faced yet he had to cater for his personal and family needs, he had to struggle doing all sorts of informal jobs for a small wage and in the hustle of the moment, it is that he thought of the shoe-shining venture, which he eventually learnt the cobbler skills for from other cobblers whom he acted as an assistant for and finally decided to step out to try his luck in the shoe-shining and repair business. "I was so broke at that time I could not afford even a starting capital of Sh150 to at least buy two tins of black polish and two brushes.
I borrowed the amount and started small," he said.
