Nelly Wakaria Mwaniki

Take Hold & Keep Holding

Courage. Resilience. Hope.

These are traits born from the murk of life, when a woman hears, "You're just a woman. What can you do?"

Esther Micere Nyumu

Esther Micere Nyumu, my maternal grandmother, answered that question quietly. She did not argue, nor did she keep her head down. She simply kept doing what she knew best, day after day. She woke up, went to the farm, toiled under the sun, and sold cereals in the town marketplace.

When her husband died, she worked.

When no other adult came to offer support, she kept working.

Society considered her illiterate. What could a woman who could neither read nor write possibly do?

They were about to encounter an unstoppable force.

Esther counted money effortlessly, conducted business, purchased tracts of land, and educated her children. She was so trustworthy and diligent that she was appointed treasurer of her local church.

Esther held firmly to life, unswayed by society's expectations.

Then Came Her Daughter, My Mother

Then came her daughter—my mother.

Widowed at just 30 years old and left to raise three children, all girls, she inherited an invisible baton from Esther.

Run. It's your turn to run in an era when women were expected to be seen and not heard.

My mother never despaired, and we never went without.

She learned to drive during a time when many women were expected to remain housewives. She was an Uber driver long before the term existed.

Our family car was a seven-seater Peugeot sedan. Each morning, she dropped us off at school on her way to work and picked us up in the evening. Many of our neighbors didn't own cars but still needed transportation. My mother recognized an opportunity. She needed money for fuel, so she began charging a small fee for rides.

The entrepreneur in her had awakened.

But she didn't stop there.

She purchased rice and sugar, and her daughters became eager shopkeepers, making door-to-door deliveries.

Some evenings, we spent hours stomping on tons of wet paper—a form of papier-mâché—that my mother collected throughout the day during her government job. She compressed it into bales, which she sold to a recycling factory on weekends.

She also established a real estate company and began selling plots of land to supplement her income.

Through the eyes of a child, she was simply Mum.

But to navigate life, she became an accountant, a merchant, a realtor, a landlady, and a hotelier.

Her grip on life remained steadfast, anchored by her faith in God.

My Story Was Shaped by These Two Phenomenal Women

My story was shaped by these two phenomenal women, who did ordinary things extraordinarily well. They showed up and held firm, regardless of the season.

I do not exist apart from them.

The first time I boarded an airplane was the day I left my home in Kenya to pursue higher education in America.

I was 18 years old—excited, inexperienced, and uncertain.

My eldest sister had traveled to America two years before me and had paved the way. My middle sister remained in Kenya, serving as the family's anchor and faithfully carrying the responsibilities that came with staying behind while her two sisters pursued opportunities abroad.

There were no cell phones, no car, and no extra money from home.

My eldest sister and I worked to pay tuition, rent, and our daily living expenses.

I joined countless college clubs simply to receive free T-shirts. It was the only affordable way to build a wardrobe.

My first proud achievement was completing my undergraduate degree within four years without accumulating any student loan debt.

I kept running.

I attended graduate school during the week and worked weekends.

Two years later, I completed my master's degree in nursing, having paid my tuition in full.

My third dream required 17 years of paperwork, legal fees, interviews, and screenings before I became a naturalized American citizen.

That milestone expanded my horizons beyond borders.

For more than 10 years, I have financially sponsored the education of four girls from four different countries: Kenya, Mexico, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.

Those consistent monthly contributions helped provide access to education, clean water, and two meals a day during the school year.

By God's grace, I have also participated in medical and evangelical mission trips to countries including Romania, Honduras, Ghana, Paraguay, Peru, and Malawi.

My fourth dream came to life in 2023 when I founded Skaria Medical Center.

I envisioned expanding access to healthcare across East Africa through telemedicine while thoughtfully incorporating time-tested African herbal remedies into individualized treatment plans.

Maanet Gardens Hotel and EcoLuxe Gifting Company

Today, I also serve as a director of two companies based in Kenya: Maanet Gardens Hotel and EcoLuxe Gifting Company.

Maanet Gardens Hotel was founded in Kirinyaga, Kenya, by my mother on land my grandmother had purchased decades earlier. I was honored to partner with her in establishing the company.

Our guests enjoy meals prepared with organic produce grown right on the hotel grounds. It's like enjoying a gourmet meal at home—without having to wash the dishes afterward.

EcoLuxe Gifting Company blossomed in June 2025 through the friendship and family ties of four incredible women.

We are a virtual gifting company dedicated to curating sustainable, heritage-inspired gift hampers and corporate gift packages.

EcoLuxe gracefully blends luxury with environmental responsibility by partnering directly with local artisans and ethical brands to reduce environmental impact while celebrating African craftsmanship.

Inextricably Woven into Our Story Is Almighty God

Inextricably woven into our story is Almighty God.

His presence was there at our beginning, His hand shaping every step along the way.

He has never been a footnote but the Author present throughout every chapter of our lives, reflected in the gifts He has bestowed upon us—intelligence, courage, perseverance, and hope.

My praying grandmother, my persevering mother, my supportive sisters, and my loyal friends have all been destiny helpers along the journey.

Trusting in God's faithfulness has made all things possible.

It continues to fuel my hope as I prepare to pass the baton to my daughters—the next generation of influential women.