Jeridah Andayi has sparked a candid conversation online after sharing her thoughts on why so many Kenyan professionals find themselves starting over when they relocate to the United States.
In a video posted on Wednesday, October 14, Andayi addressed a question many in the diaspora wrestle with quietly: why do skilled, experienced Kenyans often end up in roles far below their qualifications once they land in America?
Why do Kenyan professionals struggle in the US?
According to Andayi, the core issue is that years of professional experience back home do not automatically open the same doors in the US.
American employers frequently require local certifications, verified stateside experience, and sometimes additional training before considering a candidate for a role equivalent to what they held in Kenya.
“Your years of experience back home are valuable, but sometimes they don’t automatically translate into the same opportunities here,” she explained in her video caption.
Because of this gap, many immigrants opt for jobs that demand fewer qualifications or certifications that can be obtained relatively quickly, then work their way back up the ladder over time.
Andayi also noted that the structure of work itself is different, with many jobs in the US paid on an hourly basis rather than through the salaried arrangements common in Kenya.
Rather than framing the experience as a failure, Andayi offered encouragement to those going through it.
She reminded her followers that having to start from the bottom in a new system does not mean a person has lost their abilities. It simply means they are learning how to apply those abilities in a different environment.
“You start from ground zero. You learn. You adapt. You keep moving,” she wrote, signing off with the Swahili phrase, “Pole pole, tunajipanga,” meaning one step at a time.
Followers in the comments responded with their own experiences.
@mikolinebiira wrote:
“I need a connection.”
@medieval.101 added:
“That certification and having legal status are a challenge.”
@heyspollypauline summed up the daily reality with a simple observation:
“True definition of time is money.”
