Yvonne Mugure has explained why money never changed her family, despite her mother’s rise from poverty to wealth.
On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, she says her mother, who grew up in Kibera, Kenya, made a clear decision that success would not erase their values.
“My mom grew up in Kibera, Kenya. One of the largest slums in Africa,” Yvonne says. When her mother’s life changed, she set one rule early.
“When her life changed, and her wealth grew, she made one thing clear: our values should never change.”
She explains that wealth came with structure, not freedom. Yvonne says her mother worked hard to make sure her children did not grow up spoiled.
“She taught us the value of money,” she says. That lesson was not taught through words alone, but through daily actions and expectations at home.
“She was transparent about finances,” she explains. Instead of hiding money matters, her mother made sure the childrenunderstood how money was earned and managed. Yvonne says this helped remove entitlement from their thinking and replaced it with responsibility.
She adds that contribution was always expected.
“She required contribution, not entitlement,” Yvonne says.
Comfort did not mean a free pass.
“We had access, but we also had responsibility,” she adds, noting that this mindset shaped how they viewed work and money.
Why values mattered more than wealth
Yvonne says her mother’s background guided every financial choice she made.
“For reference, my mother was raised in Kibera,” she explains. After moving from Kenya to America and starting to make more money, her mother stayed focused on discipline.
“She made sure that we value the money,” Yvonne says.
“She made sure that we saw her make money and invested smartly,” Yvonne explains.
Instead, her mother focused on long-term choices.
“She would make money, and even if it is a little monthly, she would invest back in Kenya,” Yvonne says. That example left a lasting mark on the family.
“That lesson shaped everything,” she explains.
Yvonne says these lessons stayed with them into adulthood, and for her, the story is not about wealth, but about grounding. She says her mother’s journey from Kibera to success proved that money can grow, while values stay the same.
