After Growing Up in Poverty, Kenyan Man Gifts Mum New House on Her 55th Birthday

A young Kenyan dentist who grew up in poverty in Siaya County has wowed online users after he gifted his mother a new bungalow on her 55th birthday.

Ken Carson recently shared on Facebook photos of the newly-built house with the caption indicating that it was a gift for his mum who just turned 55.

“To you my Mama, I gift you this during your 55th birthday, thank you for all your sacrifices,” Carson noted.

Carson shared his inspiring life experience and how his parents struggled to raise money for his education.

After completing primary school, his parents had two options—take him to a carpentry school or sell their belongings to raise fees for his secondary education. His father wanted him to join carpentry school but his mother insisted that he must proceed to high school.

“Dad (may his soul RIP) wanted me to join carpentry instead. Mum insisted I had to join high school even if it means selling our homestead and becoming homeless. Mum won,” he said.

The family sold their house and used the proceeds to pay Carson’s Form One term one fees. Unable to raise fees for the subsequent terms, Carson’s dad was forced to supply farm produce to the school as a way of settling the arrears.

To raise some school pocket money, Carson would leave their rented home at Kanyanduru in Karateng’ village at 3 am to weed people’s farms.

After posting exemplary results in Form One, Carson earned a full boarding scholarship from the school and went ahead to produce the institution’s first-ever A plain in his KCSE exam three years later.

He later joined university to study dentistry but at one time in his second year of studies, he almost dropped out to assist his mother, who was struggling to raise money for basic needs.

But a friend convinced him not to drop out as there was no guarantee that this would improve the situation. His mother also encouraged him and reassured him that things would improve in the future.

Carson went on to graduate after finishing his university studies and today, he runs Lake Basin Orthodontic Centre in Nairobi with a branch in Nyali, Mombasa.