I chose to be a screenwriter out of sheer passion

That many people work in careers that they never studied for is not in contention given the tribulations in the job market. This is the path that Mildred Achoch, 42, an International Business Administration degree holder, walked. She currently pursues her passion in a different field where she doubles up as a poet, screenwriter, blogger, and promoter of the rock and roll music genre in the country through her business brand known as Roffeke. Ms. President, a reality TV show that aired on KTN, is arguably one of the best screenwriting projects she was involved in.

Roffeke, she says, stands for Rock 'n' Roll Film Festival, Kenya, and it aims to promote rock music in Kenya via film by dispelling myths and misconceptions associated with rock music.

"When you listen to conversations out there regarding rock and roll, you'll hear all manners of weird things. An example is that it is devilish music and is associated with white folks," she says.

Mildred is passionate about film and rock music and so it was only a matter of time before she combined her passion for these two things. The motto of Roffeke is 'Friendship, Fun, Freedom.'

She adds that rock music is raw, full of passion and it's energetic. "There are dozens of genres and subgenres under the umbrella of rock music. I enjoy alternative rock, gothic rock, emo, screamo, and metal. I also like doo-wop and the blues. The Blues are the originators of rock 'n' roll. Another reason why I like rock music is that it has such a rich history."

Mildred runs a YouTube channel known as Roffeke University, in which she tries to explain the fascinating history of rock and roll music.

For ten years, she had been freelancing at the Upwork site. Upwork is a platform that connects businesses with freelancers, independent talent, and agencies around the globe. Being a freelancer on the site has kept Mildred going for, as she puts it, it allows her to stay afloat as she deals with the challenges that come with being a Kenyan screenwriter, for example, delayed payments or no payments.

"It can be tough surviving the Kenyan market as a screenwriter. It is always wise to have an extra revenue stream," she says.

The 42-year-old has been screenwriting for years and says each project she has worked on has been special in its own way. "I enjoyed working on the first season of Selina because I had never worked on a Telenovela before so it was a great learning experience."

She credits seasoned screenwriters like Sarah Mwihaki, Wanjau Wachira, and Ndela Mwakisha for shaping her in the industry. Others are Cajetan Boy and Reuben Odanga. She has worked for several other TV programmes and considers Wash and Set as her first introduction to the world of television writing.

On the reality TV show, Ms. President that aired on KTN she had this to say, "As a woman, it was a great honour to be one of the writers of this ground-breaking show."

Being a writer comes with some limitations on creativity. She is subject to the terms and conditions of the producers or production house. In the Let it be Rock series, she says, she is the content creator and had the creative freedom to explore her passions: rock music and social justice.

Does she have any regrets about choosing a different path than pursuing what she graduated with? "I have always known that a regular 9 to 5 job was not for me. I enjoy the freedom that being self-employed gives and I also appreciate the challenges because I learn a lot from them. When you are self-employed, every day is an opportunity for learning and self-improvement."

If you're a graduate and you're still holding those certificates waiting for a job, Mildred advises that you do something else as that call may never come. Even if it comes through, you may get the job but lack satisfaction. "Say you're passionate about the performing arts but family pressure made you pursue a different field just to fit in and to give the impression of a decent job, you may never feel happy working there," she says.

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