“My Father Gave Me His Entire Pension So I Could Pursue Art in the UK” | Paskaline Jebet Maiyo

At 24, Paskaline Jebet Maiyo was on track for a stable career in land administration in Kenya when a university strike changed her life forever. Today, she is a celebrated UK-based visual artist using the human body as a living canvas to address identity, mental health, and climate justice. In this deeply moving episode of The African Possibility Podcast, host Emmanuel Ogbaki sits down with Paskaline to discuss her radical career switch, her father’s extraordinary sacrifice of giving her his entire retirement pension to fund her UK studies, and the harsh, eye-opening reality of relocating to Britain. Paskaline opens up about diaspora isolation, navigating Black identity in the West, holding onto her Kalenjin and Kenyan roots, and how body art became her ultimate sanctuary for healing. Key Highlights in this Episode: • Growing up in Eldoret & strict African parental expectations • The university strike that birthed a global fine artist at age 24 • Walking away from Ministry of Lands corruption & routine • Her father's life-changing sacrifice: Gifting his retirement pension • The concept of the 'Living Canvas' & using human bodies for climate justice • 'Moving here made me realise I was Black' — Diaspora identity & loneliness • Preserving Kenyan heritage, milk, Swahili, and Kalenjin abroad Subscribe & Join The Movement: Subscribe to The African Possibility Podcast for weekly inspiring stories celebrating African brilliance, culture, and transformation across the diaspora. Community Question: What is the biggest sacrifice an African parent has made for you, or what dream did you have to fight for? Drop your story in the comments below! Connect With Us: Instagram:   / the_africanpossibilitypodcast   TikTok:   / theafricanpossibility   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033ziSc... LinkedIn: Host   / emmanuel-ogbaki-922a623a2   Connect with Pascaline Jebet Maiyo Instagram:   / jpaskah     / cheb_arts_   Bookings/Collab: hrtzartp@gmail.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:33 Who Is Paskaline Before the Art? 04:17 African Parents, Careers, and Expectations 05:00 She Didn’t Discover Art Until 24 06:00 The University Strike That Changed Everything 08:55 From Drawing an Egg to a Human Portrait in Three Days 10:02 Why She Walked Away From Land Administration 11:35 Showing Her Parents Her Art for the First Time 15:10 Her Father Gave Her His Retirement Money 17:32 Why the Human Body Is a “Living Canvas” 19:17 Migration, Mental Health, and Climate Justice Through Art 25:25 Moving to the UK Made Me Realize I Was Black 35:22 Missing Kenya and Rebuilding Life in Britain 30:21 Holding Onto Kenyan Identity, Language, and Values 33:22 The Father Who Always Showed Up 36:40 The Pressure on African Creatives in Western Spaces 38:32 Body Art, Climate Justice, and the Environment 42:15 Building the Catwalk Club and Professional Models 46:37 African Fathers, “I Love You” and Emotional Expression 48:45 Faith, Scripture, and Surviving Difficult Seasons 51:11 What Success Has Cost Her 51:52 The Visa Rejection That Hurt Most 54:32 Why Education Gives Her Hope for Africa 57:52 Why African Artists Need Better Funding 59:35 How African Communities Can Support Each Other 1:00:25 Who Should Sit in the TAP Chair Next?