Life can change in an instant. And that’s what happened to Teresa Njoroge. One day, she was a respected banker in Kenya, the next, charged with a crime. One unexpected twist turned her world upside down —leading her from a thriving career in finance to a prison cell for a crime she did not commit.
“I lost my job in a very shameful manner. So much shame and embarrassment covered that entire period and it was such a shift from the Kenyan corporate world, from a high-end banker to now being within the criminal justice system, [going to] court, paying bail, dealing with lawyers, no job…it was a very difficult shift; especially knowing very well that this is something that I had not done.”
– Teresa Njoroge
Teresa’s story is not just about prison, injustice, or loss—it’s about courage, resilience, and transformation. What could have ended her story became the very beginning of a greater purpose. Through resilience, faith, and an unshakable commitment to justice, Teresa transformed her pain into power, founding Clean Start to help women rebuild their lives after incarceration.
We featured her story in 2019, and today we’re revisiting her story to share 5 powerful lessons her journey teaches us.
1. Your lowest point can become your turning point
Teresa’s fall was dramatic. One moment she was a respected banker managing elite clients, and the next, she was behind bars, falsely accused and stripped of her dignity. But what looked like the end of her career became the beginning of her calling. It was inside the prison walls, surrounded by women who had lost everything, that Teresa discovered her purpose: to give these women a second chance.
Sometimes, the darkest valleys of our lives lead us straight to the mission we were created for.
2. Integrity matters, even when it costs you
When Teresa was asked to pay a bribe to avoid conviction, she refused. That decision sealed her fate and sent her to prison with her infant daughter, but it also preserved her integrity. In a world where corruption and compromise are tempting shortcuts, her story reminds us that character is priceless.
Doing the right thing may hurt in the moment, but it leaves you with something no one can take away: honour.
3. Pain can reveal your purpose
Prison was awful. Food was scarce, dignity was stripped, and many of the women Teresa met were mothers who had left children behind. It broke her heart, but it also opened her eyes. Through her own suffering, she understood the struggles of these women, and out of that pain, Clean Start was born.
Often, our greatest purpose is hidden in the very places we’d rather avoid, waiting for us to turn pain into power.
4. Second chances are possible
Teresa’s imprisonment could have ruined her forever. She lost her job, her reputation, and almost her identity. But when she walked out of prison, she didn’t let bitterness define her. Instead, she rebuilt her life and created opportunities for other women to rebuild theirs. Her story is living proof that our mistakes, or even injustices, don’t define us.
With courage and persistence, redemption and new beginnings are always possible.
5. Resilience is strengthened by faith and community
Teresa didn’t survive on her own. Her faith in God, her prayers, and the love she had for her daughter gave her strength to endure each day. Later, she found solidarity among the very women she once shared a prison cell with—many of whom are now part of her team at Clean Start. Her journey reminds us that resilience doesn’t come from isolation; it comes from leaning on faith and building a community that lifts us up when life knocks us down.
“My advice to any woman out there who is caught up in a shameful situation – in a situation where they’re truly between a rock and a very hard place – when you’ve gotten to the lowest level of your bottom, look up. Gather the little strength that you can get within you, and all you need to do is make one step forward, another step forward, and then another. It’s those little steps forward that make all the difference.”
Teresa’s story is a reminder that even in the bleakest of places, hope can be found. She turned disgrace into dignity, pain into purpose, and injustice into impact. And perhaps that’s the greatest lesson of all: no matter how far we fall, we all carry within us the power to rise again.
Vimbai E. is a content marketer, ghostwriter, and the founder of The Weight She Carries. With hundreds of articles and stories publishing online, in print and for broadcast, her love of language and storytelling shines through every piece of writing that bears her name.