Pulse Live uncovers lavish life of Achieng – “poor” Kisumu girl who appeared on Ellen DeGeneres

Achieng Agutu became a household name after she was picked out and rewarded by American TV show host Ellen DeGeneres under their ‘Million Dollar May’ collaboration with Walmart (an American retail corporation).

Throughout the month of May, Ellen will give out cash to deserving people and Achieng was one of the lucky recipients of 50,000 dollars (Sh5 million).

The Kenyan's emotional story of working multiple jobs to make ends meet, her parents selling land and taking loans to take her to school greatly resonated with not only Ellen and her audience but also the audience on Twitter.

“I work one full-time job, my 9-5 as an admissions counselor at Holy Cross College. I babysit for two families, I wash people’s cars, I clean their houses, I am an Uber driver and I also teach English to international students and some of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students in the South Benda Area,” she said.

In addition to receiving 50,000 dollars, she was reunited with her parents and sibling after two years of not seeing each other. Ellen flew in her parents from Kenya & her brother from South Africa and their joy was palpable following their reunion.

Though she hadn't seen her brother for a while, a spot check by Pulse Live established that Achieng had seen her parents last year when they flew in for her graduation in May 2018 at Goshen College.

Achieng and her parents during her graduation in May 2018 (Facebook) Pulse Live Kenya

Lavish Life

While many have concluded that she was ‘poor’ from her confession on the show that could be far from the truth.

Achieng’s Instagram shows a lavish life that involves trotting around the globe. Miss Achieng has traveled to Qatar in Doha, Machu Picchu in Peru, Bali in Indonesia, Tulum in Mexico and even Yves Saint Laurent's Private Residence in Marrakech, Morocco.

Achieng in Machu Picchu, Peru (Instagram) Pulse Live Kenya

She also got to holiday at the stunning Casa Malca, a five-star Mexican resort near Tulum formerly owned by the late Pablo Escobar. It’s now owned by renowned New York art collector and gallery owner Lio Malca who bought it in 2012, renovated it and opened it to the public in 2015. A night at Casa Malca will set you back at least Sh72,000 ($721) according to Hotels.com

Achieng holidaying Casa Malca Hotel in Mexico (Instagram) Pulse Live Kenya

The 21-year-old girl is also a blogger and founder of ‘No Ordinary Noire’ a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog that aims to showcase the beauty of women of colour.

“No Ordinary Noire is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog created to celebrate, empower and showcase the beauty of women of colour through personal style, self-care, self-love and self-acceptance. I believe that when you enhance your vibe, you empower your tribe,” reads a description on the website.

Achieng Aguttu (Instagram) Pulse Live Kenya

Education

The melanin queen pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Goshen College in Indiana.

Before joining Goshen College, her Linkedin profile indicates that she attended Richmond High School, Indiana and the prestigious Braeburn International School.

According to the 2018-2019 Braeburn fee structure, students pay Sh618, 900 to Sh1,702,200 as basic fees depending on the year of study, 85,800- 97,200 on lunch while transport can range from Sh155,400 to Sh275,700 annually. The fee structure indicates that attending the high-end school is a thing that many Kenyans can only dream about.