Women in most societies, particularly the African ones, experience downfalls and struggles almost on a daily basis.
However, there are some who let these struggles define them, while others stand up no matter how many times they fall.
TeamKenya.co.ke takes a look at the inspiring journey of popular sports analyst Zitah Jimoi.
Jimoi is a Kenyan female journalist who grew up in Kibera slums, although her roots are from Kapsabet, Nandi County.
She appears regularly on Sporty Monday, a sports show that airs every Monday on Citizen TV alongside the likes of Willis Raburu and prominent football commentator Fred Arocho.
Zitah also analyzes sporting activities, on a program on Radio Citizen called Kijiweni.
In a recent interview with Kibera News Network, Jimoi narrated her inspiring journey from the struggles in Kibera to landing a life-changing role at Royal Media Services (RMS).
According to Zitah, she started playing football while in class six and went on to become one of the best strikers in the local leagues.
The former Carolina for Kibera forward lost interest in the beautiful game due to lack of opportunities for female footballers in the country back then.
She divulged that the absence of a women’s league in the country was the main reason why she had to hang her boots and venture into something else.
Zitah decided to try modeling and her gamble paid off since she went on to be crowned Miss Kibera in 2008. She used her newfound status in society to touch the lives of youths in one of the world’s largest informal settlements.
Growing up in Kibera was not easy back then, according to Jimoi, since she had to fend for herself at a younger age. She described how she put on school shoes for the first time while she was in class 8.
The Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) alumni further disclosed that she once ran away from home and lived in an orphanage for a period of two years.
It was while she was at the orphanage that someone decided to pay for her post-primary education. However, Zitah had to look for a learning institution to attend on her own.
She described how she got lost in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) as she went to look for a secondary school in Thika, after getting a recommendation from someone close to her.
When asked what advice she would give to the youths of Kibera, Jimoi urged them to put God first and never give up on anything they do.
“Kibera has everything, we just need to look for opportunities and go for them. Challenges are there, you can fall, fall a thousand times, but stand up.
“Let's open our minds to different things. There is no difference between a person who lives in Kibera and Lavington. Go for opportunities and let God do the rest,” she ended.
With Mukami Wambora’s exit from Citizen TV, questions are being asked whether Zitah would be her official replacement.