A Kenyan nanny, recounts an inspiring story of her journey from Lebanon back to her home country

Roseline Atieno, better known as Rosie from Siaya County, has recently been in the limelight following her touching farewell with her Lebanese employer and their children, a moment that went viral online.

After returning to Kenya for the Christmas holidays, Rosie opened up about her time in Lebanon, where she moved in October 2021 seeking better opportunities amidst a challenging marriage. Hoping to improve life for her three children, she recalled being nervous about the move but relied on her faith for a positive outcome.

Rosie expressed surprise at the viral response to her farewell video, describing her mixed emotions of happiness and fear from the unexpected attention.

She fondly remembered her first meeting with the Lebanese family at the airport, saying they connected instantly. Describing them as kind people and content creators, Rosie recalled how they would sometimes film her playing with their children.

Initially lonely in Lebanon, Rosie found comfort in the children she cared for, saying they eased her longing for her own children and filled a void in her life. She developed a deep bond with them, missing the way she used to treat them and hoping for a future meeting between the children and her own family in Kenya.

Rosie described the emotional challenge of leaving the children she had grown to love as if they were her own, torn between the joy of seeing her children after two years and the sadness of leaving her charges.

While in Lebanon, she felt at home, with the children appreciating her for who she is. Though she plans to return to Lebanon to continue caring for them, Rosie has not yet decided on a date, intending to stay until the children are older.