Many were introduced to Bridget Achieng when she featured in the reality TV series Nairobi diaries. The show focused on the lives of a number of socialites in Nairobi, some of whom have since established successful businesses while others dimmed away.
The beauty has often trended on social media for various reasons and has had a number of controversies attached to her name.
Background
Bridget grew up in Nairobi’s Kibera slum where life was not easy. Both her parents are dead and she had it rough growing up before she got where she is today. The socialite lived in a shanty where rent was Ksh1200 per month. At one point, the mother of one shared her former house with her fans in a bid to encourage them that they too could rise above their situation.
Age
Bridget is 28 years old. She was born in July 2021.
Career
She stared in the popular reality TV show Nairobi diaries and also owned a jewellery business.
Bridget is an event organizer and is best remembered for organising the Nai Fest which was a successful event meant to celebrate art and music. However, the last event held in November 2020 was marred with lots of controversy, the most tragic being the death of a 17-year-old.
Apart from this, she is a businesswoman who buys products in West Africa and sells them in Kenya
Bleaching
Bridget stated in an interview aired on Citizen TV that she decided to bleach her skin because of low self esteem. The controversial socialite went on to say that she participated in auditions for actors but was rejected because of her skin color.
“When I was 22 years old, I went for acting auditions, but I failed to qualify due to the color of my skin color. In one of the auditions, I was the best candidate, but a judge member told me: ‘You have qualified, but your skin tone is not the one we want’,” she explains.
And the rejection did not end there. Men also did not find her attractive as they preferred her lighter friends.
“Sometimes, I would go out with my friends, and men would approach them because of their skin tone, and not even look my way because I was dark. I also had self-esteem issues growing up. I vowed to bleach [my skin] when I got money, and in 2014, when I landed employment, I decided to bleach my skin,” She added
The lass however had some advice for those intending to bleach their skins telling them that it is very expensive.
“Bleaching, however, is an expensive affair; the addiction to it is akin to the use of drugs. I wouldn’t advise people to use skin-bleaching tablets. Some do affect the kidneys. I would prefer someone uses skin-lightening cream.” She said
Also Read: 10 Kenyan Female Celebrities Who Have Maintained Their Dark Skin
BBC Documentary
Bridget was featured in a BBC Africa Eye documentary titled Bridget Achieng: “Baby girl, nothing goes for nothing”. In the documentary, she admits to having started out as a prostitute before venturing into jewelry business.
“I had to do it to just get back up, It’s not something any woman should be proud of doing,” she said.
She added that it was a way of making money especially for desperate girls. “If a guy was willing to pay up to USD10,000 and all the girl had to do was look pretty, then why not?”, she posed.
However, BBC edited out her interview and focused more on the prostitution bit, something that annoyed her and many other Kenyans. She said she spent over three months working with the BBC only for them to make her a prostitute. Later on, the BBC offered an apology.
“I was shocked I did a 2 months documentary only for them to cut my interviews and make me look like I am a prostitute,” she told a local blog.
“I hate the fact that media takes advantage of artists and my interview being twisted and all,” added the socialite.
An apology from BBC read in part:
“Following some inaccurate coverage of Bridget in the Kenyan media, the BBC world likes to make clear that, as we show in our film Bridget runs a jewelry business , contributes to Nairobi diaries and leads a charitable foundation for children in Kibera…”
Controversies
During the last Nai fest, which she organized, a teenager lost his life. Tanasha Donna was also not able to perform and some thought she (Bridget) had lied to them. However, she came out to clear her name and accused Tanasha of being the one who let the revellers down.
She has been trending on Social media after popular blogger Edgar Obare released a conversation which included her n@de images. In the conversation, she was accused of prostituting herself in Nigeria, allegations she has since denied stating she was there for business. She had also been accused of living a fake life and not being able to provide food for her son and that she had been served with an eviction notice due to her inability to pay rent. She denied all these and even went ahead to send her Mpesa statement to Edgar Obare. Previously, she has asked the blogger not to release her nudes for the sake of her son.
