How did Soo lose his wealth? At the age of 47, Derrick Soo, once a successful businessman, bought a beautiful house by a picturesque lake in North Carolina, intending to enjoy his early retirement. However, just two and a half months later, Soo’s world came crashing down when his financial institution went bankrupt. Left with little to no options, Anderson found himself with only $6,000 (KSh 871,260) in his local checking account and a significant amount of credit debt. Desperate to hold onto his possessions, he took out a $25,000 (KSh 3.7 million) title loan on his boat, hoping to pay it off and prevent losing it. Unfortunately, the financial hardships led to job losses and uncertainty, leaving him with no choice but to seek refuge at a shelter in April 2013. Soo gains access to housing list Soo spent 91 days at the shelter, where he gained access to a housing list that was exclusive to residents of the shelter. With the help of a housing voucher for his age and his beloved dogs, he managed to secure a place to live. However, finding a landlord willing to accept a homeless person with pets proved to be a significant challenge. “People say you’ve got to make a choice, it’s either your dogs or your housing,” Soo said whil reflecting on the dilemma. But he was determined to keep his dogs, which had been with him since they were puppies, and continue his journey towards stability. So hides behind a hedge After he was kicked out of housing due to his dogs, he did not first move to a tent but rather a hidden spot behind a hedge sandwiched between the walls of a building. Soo managed to stay hidden there for a period, practising stealth camping to avoid detection. In this particular area of Oakland, he found an abundance of discarded construction materials, including brand-new insulation, plywood, plastic, and even furniture. Soo ingeniously used these materials to create his shelter and makeshift home. Tragedy struck in 2015 when Anderson was diagnosed with colon rectal cancer. During his recovery period, he needed a place to rest for extended periods and assistance with daily tasks. Soo’s experience living in a tent This prompted him to transition from his concealed spot to a tent, which offered more space and comfort during his health challenges. “In 2015, I was diagnosed with colon rectal cancer, so I ended up moving from there and then starting the tent,” he recounted. “Because during my recovery period, I needed a place to not only lay out for long periods of time but also have my friends help me to do the daily things that I needed to do,” he added. The local hospital, aware of his homelessness, assigned a caseworker and social worker from the City of Oakland to help him find suitable housing before his release. Soo’s resilience began to pay off as his community of fellow tent-dwellers grew, forming a supportive network where people helped each other despite their circumstances. Some even held jobs while living in the encampment Grass to grace story of Murang’a man from humble background Back at home, Bernard Kairu is a man from a humble beginning who has worked his way up to building an empire in landscaping space, his truly is a story of grass to grace. Kairu’s journey started way back in 2012 in Mombasa after he completed college, and he found himself at a crossroads like so many youths, jobless and trying to define a career path. A determined Kairu secured a casual job at a local oil refinery, and just as the job title stated, the wages were peanuts, and at no point was it paid on time. Speaking to TUKO.co.ke the businessman, said most of the time, he would accumulate debts from local shops and kiosks so that he stayed afloat. BY TUKO NEWS