Peace and Connection

One Man’s Journey from the Streets of Nairobi to Peace River

Joseph Nganga Mwihaki | Peace River

At 28 years old, Joseph Nganga Mwihaki has lived many different lives.

His story begins as a child orphan on the Kenyan streets of Nairobi and leads to the quiet life he now lives in Peace River. And, he says, his optimism has never wavered.

“I have been motivated by the fact we create our life with our imagination. We decide our directions by what is happening in our minds,” said Joseph.

Joseph lost his mother when he was five years old, and he was forced to fend for himself in Nairobi. At age 11, he found himself at a care home for orphans.

At the time, even as a small child, Joseph says he knew making connections was important and that seeking mentors would be a good way to work toward his goals.

“I got to know some American volunteers, and they helped me move to a different orphanage in Jambini where I fit in better and was able to learn a lot of skills that I wouldn’t have learned if I had stayed in Nairobi,” said Joseph.

Through those connections, Joseph says he was given the opportunity to travel to the United States on a fundraising mission for the organization that ran the orphanage in Jambini.

“I have always found great inspiration in my mentors and felt the strong desire to build myself into something very powerful,” said Joseph. “I am always asking myself, ‘What really am I? How can I define myself?’”

Joseph says one of his mentors introduced him to running.

After jokingly saying he would run 10 km the first time he went for a run with his mentor, Joseph says he surprised himself and actually did it.

Since then, Joseph says he has completed marathons and continues to run whenever he gets a chance.

“After I got back from America and started college in Kenya, I joined a lot of running and climbing groups. I like to push myself to always be working toward new heights. I wanted to climb Kilimanjaro to see the snow up there,” said Joseph.

That love of movement and hiking is one of the things he continues to enjoy since he moved to Peace River.

Joining a hiking group organized by Sharon Krushel has been one way to connect to the community.

“Although I sometimes struggle to meet people who are interested in the same things as me, joining the hiking group with Sharon was positive,” said Joseph. “The group was so welcoming, and I have really enjoyed getting in nature and seeing the different wildlife.”

According to Joseph, being in the forest amongst the trees is not a new experience. While in school in Kenya, he participated in a forestry program that allowed participants who volunteered to care for newly planted trees to grow crops alongside the saplings and sell their products at the market.

“I was able to grow snow peas and provide a good income for myself at a young age,” said Joseph. “That first entrepreneurial experience motivated me to keep aiming higher.”

Joseph says while going to college for business he operated a salon and nail studio in Nairobi to earn income. After graduating, Joseph says he spent a couple years in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates working in hospitality.

Realizing the busy city life wasn’t for him, Joseph felt a creeping desire to explore new places. When the opportunity emerged to travel for a job at the Quality Inn Hotel in Peace River, Joseph went for it.

“Even though I studied business in college, I had a strong desire to get back to agriculture and the skills I learned in Jambini,” said Joseph. “When I learned about Peace River and its location, I was really excited and hopeful to build a future here.”

Before he came to settle in Canada, Joseph says he made one stop back in Kenya where he had purchased some land with the extra income he made working in Abu Dhabi.

On this land, Joseph says, he planted 2,600 cedar saplings.

Joseph looks forward to finding his own land here in Canada to steward and care for one day.

Ultimately, Joseph would like to own and operate a dairy production, but for now, he is focused on getting into agriculture.

Joseph is enrolled in courses to obtain certification in dairy production and is excited by the opportunities in Northern Alberta.

“I grew up in a village where most families had two or three dairy cows. It was a big part of the culture, and a good source of income for the families,” said Joseph. “I would like to have my own sustainable dairy operation here in Canada.”

By Kelly Pippin | Photography by Tyrell Parenteau and Sharon Krushel