Of neglect, abuse and turbulent marriages!

Raphael highlights the plight of three strong women within Nakuru Kenya who have overcome turbulent marriages, to come out as victorious business women. Meet Gladys, Jane and Mary, both dedicated business women who have a reason to smile after their dreams were shattered when prince charming refused to appear after they'd kissed the millionth frog!

For Gladys, life was a fairy tale. She recalls her hey days when she dated a white man. It was all lined with silver, her life. She however felt lonely when he left her for Europe. The white man's Indian friend took her hand and the bliss wasn't as ecstatic but it was still there. She was shortly afterwards confused by this black police man who promised her heaven on earth and who became her worst nightmare. As soon as they moved in together he became distant and would demand to know up to who Gladys was looking at on a crowded street as they walked. At first she dismissed him thinking he was just jealous and it will cool down once he realizes she's his and only his. As bad luck would have it, he started getting violent and attacking her when she would ask him to stop being suspicious. Gladys lost a set of teeth and all her money and her friends. She was low in spirit and lived in constant fear. The policeman told her she could not take him anywhere. Her church mates slowly encouraged her against divorce or separation but steadily highlighted the importance of saving and being independent financially as a married woman. Today, Gladys has a reason to smile and its her business of selling cereals. She has been able to regain confidence and hope that she will divorce him soon. Her advice to young women in the first lane of the dating scene is; "Buy your own house and always pay your own bills!"

Jane, a mother of two has a unique story. She was married young and thought it wise instead of wasting her time running around the world with strange men chasing after the wind. Shock to her as her husband changed after the first child, a son. He started becoming distant and would verbally abuse her. Though shocked she assumed this new behavior attributing it to fatherhood anxiety. After the second child, a girl, he showed his true colors. He would physically assault her and even steal her money from her savings or boldly demand that she give him some of it as a dutiful wife should. He stopped supporting the family when Jane started complaining that the business was small and there was no money in it. Jane was back to forcefully using her business money as the breadwinner. Her husband seeing it as a win on his side, started drinking and got loose with street whores. For fear of her health, Jane separated from him taking away her two kids. Her in-laws came in strong but she was a tiger and no one would force her back or take her children away from her. Today she is a single independent businesswoman mother of two and is proud of her well mannered children. Often she looks at them and vows that she will give them a life she never got to have from her food stall business. Her advice to women in hard marriages is; "You and your children come first!"

Mary is not your average weak spirited woman. She has the heart of gold and the personality of a dear. She met her former husband when she was in her mid teens. She thought he was straight from a Hollywood movie as he had everything any girl could dream of. From looks to style to money to lifestyle. For Mary, her man was hers and only hers. She breathed, ate, lived and dressed him. It took Mary a loyal friend to reveal that he had a string of affairs with many other teenage girls and he is more of a pedophile than a man looking for a soulmate. Mary, though shattered in spirit was too caught to walk away. When she confronted him he was quiet about it giving no explanations whatsoever but shortly afterwards he started bringing other women home. He would introduce Mary as his sister or his cousin from his native home. Many days Mary spent cuddled by herself in the bathroom crying. One day she met with a former school mate who had a successful married life and who told her the secret to peace is financial independence. Mary gave her man one more year and left. Today she hopes that she'll get to remarry and get her own children. For her business, a smile is all that could come to her lips as response. Her advice to young inexperienced girls new to the dating scene is; "Looks are deceiving!"