At just 25, Abdi Dahir has carried a lifetime of responsibility on his shoulders. A soft-spoken young man from Garissa, he works as a turn boy in Eastleigh one of Nairobi’s busiest commercial hubs. Each morning, long before the sun rises, Abdi is already on the move. He weaves through the narrow streets filled with traders, matatus, handcarts, and the constant hum of business, ready to begin another day of loading trucks and preparing cargo for the long journey back to his hometown.
For Abdi, this grind is more than a job. As the firstborn in a family of eight and their sole breadwinner, every shilling he earns has a purpose. Rent. School fees. Food. His mother’s medicine. His siblings’ needs. For years, survival has been his mission—and responsibility his constant companion.
But on one ordinary morning, as he went about his daily hustle, something extraordinary happened.
While bent over a lorry fastening cargo, his phone began to ring. He almost ignored it. Calls usually meant a relative asking for help or a friend requesting a small loan to repay later. But the universe had different plans for him that day.
When he finally picked up, the voice on the other end delivered a message that would change the course of his life forever:
“Congratulations, Abdi. You are one of the winners in the Safaricom Shangwe @25 promotion.”
For a moment, everything around him stopped.
The voices of traders faded. The noise of engines dimmed. Even the rush of the morning seemed to pause. Abdi stood frozen, hands trembling, unsure if he had heard correctly.
The years of carrying his family, the silent prayers whispered late at night, the days he skipped meals so his siblings could eat—all of it came crashing into that single moment.
“My whole family depends on me,” he finally managed to say, his voice shaking. “I do not know how to thank Safaricom. I can not believe that the little credit I always buy to call customers has made me a young millionaire.”
For the first time in his adult life, Abdi felt something he had long forgotten: hope.
Becoming a millionaire was not just a lucky break for Abdi , it was the answer to dreams he had locked away because they felt too impossible.
“I have always dreamt of building my mother a decent house,” he says softly. “But with my earnings, it was impossible. Now that dream can finally come true a home she can be proud of.”
With the cash prize, Abdi plans to secure a safe home for his mother and siblings and support his brothers and sisters through school. For a family that has lived on the edge for years, this win is nothing short of transformative.
But Abdi’s heart beats for more than his family. Even in his toughest days, he has carried his community with him.
As part of his win, he received an additional KES 250,000 for a community project. Without hesitation, he chose Sangailu Primary School in Garissa where children sit on dusty floors, share old desks, and walk long distances under the scorching sun for water.
“For the project, I want to donate desks and water tanks,” Abdi explains. “Those children struggle just for a sip of water. If I can ease that burden even a little, maybe their dreams will be easier to chase, and their paths might be better than mine.”
His voice softens as he speaks, but his determination is unmistakable.