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Mercy Masai is a prominent figure in Kenya’s social media spaces and a philanthropist whose life is an inspiration to many.
Known for her inspiring content, vibrant presence on social media and the life-changing initiatives she has rolled out in her community, Mercy Nashipae Masai wears many hats.
She recently sparked interest in her dating life after sharing what appeared to be a photo with her mystery man with online detectives giving their verdict but this s just one on the many commas that punctuate her life which frequently makes news.
Early life & education
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The social media personality and philanthropist was born on April 7, 1998 in Loitoktok, Kajiado county.
She was the second born in a family of three and the only girl in a family that believed in education and empowerment of all children regardless of gender.
Mercy Masai Nashipai
After completing Primary and Secondary school, Masai cam to Nairobi where her parents enrolled her in a city college to study Nutrition and Diabetics in 2017.
Her hopes for a better future through education were crushed two years later when she came to learn that the institution was not accredited to offer the courses.
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With no resources to continue her education at a different institution, Masai took up employment at a wines and spirit shop while staying with a cousin and used her salary to go back to school, paying her fees in instalments.
Taking on responsibility at an early age
An accident while coming from school turned her life upside down momentarily but her resilience saw her rise above the tragedy.
She received a compensation of Sh80,000 which she used to buy the first bags of cement and sand to construct a modest house for her parents, a project she celebrated with pride after becoming the first girl in her village to attain the feat.
She took on responsibility of providing for her family at the age of 18 years and this was enough motivation to work hard, invest prudently and diversify income streams.
Mercy Masai Nashipai
This saw her venture into farming, selling shoes and clothes.
A flower that grew in concrete & blossomed: Mercy Masai defying the odds
In one post of social media, the described herself as the flower that grew in concrete and blossomed, alluding to the challenges that she had to overcome to be where she is today.
Among the challenges she had to overcome is the cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation with girls that go through the rite of passage forced to drop out of school and married off shortly afterwards.
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“In Kajiado, Meru and Tana River counties, once you undergo FGM, you definitely are not going back to school, instead you are married off. My FGM ordeal had psychological effects on me as a child growing up,” Masai who is lucky to have risen above the cultural practice and its impacts recounted in a previous interview.
Charity initiatives impacting lives
Driven by the suffering she witnessed around her and lived experiences, Masai established the Mercy Mission Foundation to provide interventions and help some of the most vulnerable in her community live a dignified life.
The foundation is dedicated to the fight against FGM, empowerment of the girlchild and helping girls navigate through the demands of the society, the realities of an evolving world and the challenges that come along.
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She also runs an initiative in which she teams up with well-wishers to visit children’s home and provide essentials while also mentoring children residing in the homes.
Hailing from a humble background, Masai explained in a past interview that she can relate with the experience of those in need and raises resources through appeals on social media.
I know how it feels to have nothing. I post on socials and people join hands. A lot of people are willing to help but how to do it is the problem.
Dating & attempts to unmask mystery man
She recently caused a frenzy on social media after posting a photo of what appeared to be a recent outing with her mystery man, teasing her followers that she will reveal his face next year.
A picture shared by Mercy Masai which created a buzz and speculation on the man she is dating
Online detectives focused on the expensive wristwatch worn by the man in the photo, unearthing pictures of a prominent politician wearing a watch that closely resembles the one seen on Masai’s photo and alleging a relationship between the two.
Her dating life remains under wraps for now with the 27-year-old focusing on her charity initiatives, education and business, ignoring the allegations.