Earlier this year, Pepeta told James Njagi’s story through a documentary that captured his determination and his love for pool. But the intention went beyond telling an inspiring story. It was an invitation for Kenyans to look beyond his circumstances and show up for a fellow human being.
This story gave birth to the #Jitokeze Campaign, through the campaign, Pepeta helped James establish his pool business, giving him an opportunity to pursue his passion while building a livelihood.
The documentary resonated with audiences on social media, drawing attention to James’s journey and encouraging people to rally behind him.
When Pepeta first shared James’s story, there was no way of knowing who would see it or what might happen as a result.
The immediate intention was to support James and encourage Kenyans to show up for James and themselves. Yet the story travelled further, reaching people beyond the original campaign and connecting James with Armock, an organisation working to support people who have lost limbs through prosthetic assistance.
His determination to keep going caught their attention, opening the door to a connection that would bring a new possibility into his life. A story that began with one man’s determination had reached people who could help him take another step forward.
A new chapter: James receives prosthetic arms
Through Armock’s intervention, James received mechanical prosthetic arms, marking another significant chapter in his journey.
For James, the prostheses represent more than a physical intervention. They brought new possibilities to explore, new skills to learn and another opportunity to build greater independence.
His journey, however, is not a story of everything suddenly becoming easy. Learning to use prosthetic arms takes time, practice and patience. Each new experience brings its own adjustments, and the road ahead continues to unfold.
But that is what makes James’s story so powerful.
He has already shown that losing an arm did not mean losing his purpose. Now, with his prostheses, he has another opportunity to discover what is possible.
His journey reminds us that progress does not always arrive as one dramatic moment. Sometimes, it comes through people who recognise a need, extend a hand and help someone move forward.
.Pepeta na Jamii: Making a difference beyond the game
James’s journey reflects the thinking behind Pepeta na Jamii, through Pepeta na Jamii, Pepeta seeks to extend its impact beyond gaming by supporting people and communities through meaningful initiatives.
The focus is on recognising real needs, creating opportunities and using the power of stories and community engagement to inspire positive change.
For Pepeta na Jamii, stories like James’s are a reminder that impact is not measured only by the number of people who see a campaign. It is also found in the conversations it starts, the connections it creates and the possibilities it helps unlock.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — said Helen Keller the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree and became a globally recognized author, lecturer, and political activist who triumphed over severe physical disabilities.
Joseph Mbugua Country Manager, says ” Pepeta na Jamii — When we show up, the community moves forward.”
We told his story once to remind Kenyans that showing up matters. We are telling it again because hope is not a one-time event. It grows when people care enough to act, when communities rally around one another, and when one person’s determination inspires another to help.
Njagi was a professional truck driver when, on August 28, 2009, he got into a nasty accident while transporting cargo weighing over 64,800 kilogrammes from Mombasa to Kitui.
On that fateful day, Njagi lost control of his truck, which fell on one side and started skidding for about 50 metres.
With the help of first responders, Njagi held onto his left arm, which was detaching from his body just above the elbow.
He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors amputated his left arm.
For about three years after the accident, Njagi struggled with self-doubt and low self-esteem.
“After my operation, I was traumatised. Whenever I stepped outside my house to go to the shop, neighbourhood children would scream, ‘He has no arm,’ which added to my low self-esteem,” he says.
But slowly, Njagi began to regain his confidence.
In 2011, he returned to a game he had always enjoyed, pool. There was, however, one major challenge. He now had only one arm.
Rather than give up, Njagi found a new way to play the game he loved. “On my first day, I decided to use my foot to guide the cue stick. And it worked tremendously,” he recalls.
What started as an experiment soon became his unique skill.
Njagi’s unconventional playing style drew admiration from fellow players, but it also turned him into someone opponents wanted to challenge.
“Whenever I played with an opponent, I won the first time, and they kept asking for a rematch,” he says.
Years later, his determination caught the attention of organisers of a Pepeta Pool Tournament held in Tel Aviv, Embakasi East Sub-County, Nairobi.
Njagi walked into the tournament venue and registered to compete.
The registration team was surprised. It was not every day that someone missing an arm signed up for a competitive pool tournament.
But his name was added to the list like every other competitor.
When the games began, spectators watched in amazement as Njagi competed against able-bodied players, using his foot with remarkable control and confidence.
Shot after shot, he sank balls that left spectators cheering and opponents applauding.
Njagi did not walk away with the tournament trophy, but he left behind a story that many could not forget.
His courage sparked conversations within Pepeta about resilience and the importance of taking the first step despite fear, hardship, or uncertainty.
Through Pepeta na Jamii, the company’s community impact initiative, Pepeta set out to support Njagi, who had been relying on odd jobs, to build something more sustainable.
Pepeta provided Njagi with two brand-new pool tables, fully equipped with everything he needed to operate a professional pool business.
The company also secured a business space where he could serve customers and earn a stable income. Pepeta na Jamii also paid his five months’ rent to give his business time to grow.
Today, Njagi is a business owner. For Njagi, the support gave him more than equipment, it allowed him to turn his passion into a livelihood.
“I am very grateful. I have seen with my own eyes that Pepeta is giving back to the community,” Njagi said.
