Abel Mutua recalls how high school friend rescued him from debt with Ksh1M after 13 years without contact
By William Muthama, September 14, 2026Filmmaker and content creator Abel Mutua has recalled how a former high school friend came to his rescue with Ksh1 million when his company was facing a major financial crisis.
Speaking about the experience, during an interview on Sunday, September 13, 2026, Abel said he and his colleagues were left with more than Ksh5 million in debt as projects they had been working on came to an end.
According to Abel, the debt was even higher because the team had gone six months without paying themselves.
He said the financial pressure pushed them to seek loans from shylocks, a decision he described as one of the mistakes people can make when operating under pressure.
“Those were painful lessons, but I think that is what gave us the grit to continue doing what we do today,” Abel said.
He later remembered people he knew who might be in a position to help and began reaching out. After some calls went unanswered, he contacted a former high school classmate he had not spoken to for 13 years.
Friend gives him Ksh1 million
Abel said he explained his situation to the friend, who was surprised that he had reached out after such a long period without contact.
The friend nevertheless agreed to help and gave him KSh1 million.
Abel said the two had been out of touch for so long that he could not even remember what his former classmate looked like.
The experience changed how he viewed friendship and support, particularly during difficult moments.
‘People can surprise you’
Reflecting on the incident, Abel said the experience taught him that the people who come through for you are not always those closest to you.
“It’s never about the ones that are close to you. It’s good to have a good circle. But sometimes the people who will cross oceans for you are people you don’t even talk to,” he said.
Abel said the former classmate’s willingness to help also made him question whether he would have done the same for someone he had not spoken to for more than a decade.
He described the experience as one of the lessons that shaped him as he navigated the challenges of building his career and business.