When Jael retired from her corporate job at just 36, she was not chasing early success or burnout recovery — she was chasing peace, lots of it, she says.

The city, with its haste, noise and endless bills, no longer served her. She prescribed herself a chill pill. So she packed up everything, left Nairobi, and moved to Kabondo, a picturesque village in the heart of Nyanza.

“I just wanted a relaxing environment, so I retired at the age of 36,” she told content creator Lynn Ngugi in an interview.

Now, Jael is not only living her dream but thriving. She has not only become a successful sweet potato farmer with a booming export business and runs a YouTube channel showcasing her new lifestyle, but also an inspiration to millions of youths.

Fortunately for millions of those looking for such a life, hers is not an isolated story.

Across East Africa, there is a quiet revolution that is underway — one where young professionals are leaving urban life behind and embracing the simplicity and opportunities of village life.

In a new normal where more jobs can be done remotely, a growing number of Kenyan youths are questioning the logic of staying in congested cities with skyrocketing rent, long commutes, and “unhealthy air”.

Let us give it up to the pandemic for accelerating the concept of remote work; however, what’s happening now is more than a trend but a lifestyle shift. A new normal.

“Nothing beats countryside life,” says Byarunga Roger, who relocated to the Western side of Uganda.

“My friends thought I had signed a quick death warrant after I packed my bags and headed to my hometown, but 5-6 years into it, most of them are accusing me of being selfish whenever they pass by! They are angry that I didn’t share the visions I had about the transition.”

Roger, who isn’t into farming, ventured into tourism instead.

“I’m strategically located along the tourism corridor of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park — no regrets so far,” he quips.

Like him, many are discovering that the village doesn’t have to mean backwardness or struggle.

With proper planning, it can offer a richer life — both financially and emotionally.

Jael’s village life isn’t about retreat; it’s about choice. Her modern home is surrounded by greenery. Food comes from her garden. Water and electricity are available.

Her compound is beautiful, peaceful, and free from the monthly burden of rent or city council fees.

“She is more comfortable than the majority of those throwing shade at her,” says Lista Nthenya, a viewer on YouTube.

“She has an awesome life… beautiful home and compound, food directly from the garden, fresh air, parks outside her house (doesn’t have to pay Kanjo), has water and electricity and is paying school fees like other folks. She is blessed.”

Another returnee, Lydia Tinega, sees the village not just as an escape, but a canvas for innovation.

“Village is cool,” she says, “what most people fear is the fact that many have not invested in their rural homes, making it difficult to survive. But if you can get a piece of land, build a modern contemporary house with all the necessary stuff in it, and have a project that’s income-generating — then you’re good to go.”

Lydia made the shift official in 2024, determined to “bring urban life into the rural and change the negative perspectives of a rural setup.”

Whether through farming or freelancing, young Kenyans are finding ways to live rurally while earning globally. Sweet potato farming, poultry, bee-keeping, and even agro-tourism are becoming popular ventures among the younger generation.

Others are content creators, online traders, software developers, or customer support agents working remotely.

The Kenyan government has been instrumental in enabling this shift.

Between 2022 and 2025, the country expanded its national fibre optic cable from 8,900 kilometres to 13,590 kilometres.

Much of this expansion has happened in rural areas.

Speaking in Parliament while presenting the 2025/2026 budget estimates, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the government laid an additional 4,690 kilometres of high-speed fibre optic cable.

The goal, according to him, is “enhancing broadband access in previously underserved counties, accelerating the digitisation of government services, and creating new digital job opportunities for youth, especially in rural areas.”

This improved infrastructure makes it easier for digital workers to live and thrive outside urban centres.

Coupled with the Last Mile Connectivity program, which now supplies electricity to over 80 per cent of the population, the digital village is no longer a fantasy. It’s becoming a reality.

Even outside Kenya, urban fatigue is hitting hard.

A nurse based in the United States, known online as @nurse gogetta, put it bluntly: “I wouldn’t advise anyone to come to the USA in 2025. It’s so expensive here and we have no life. Working 8-12-16-hour shifts to survive daily life. Meanwhile, we are broken down and tired. I am looking to move abroad. I would love to live in the village.”

Her sentiments echo a global restlessness among young professionals — tired of chasing paychecks that only keep them afloat in high-cost cities, many are opting for slower, more intentional living.

And Kenya, with its growing digital infrastructure and abundant rural land, is becoming an attractive destination for this lifestyle shift.

From fear to fulfilment

The decision to leave the city is not always easy. It means letting go of the prestige, convenience, and sometimes even the social approval that comes with urban living. But the rewards are clear.

“I made that decision 10 years ago and no regret,” says Martha Karanja. “Fresh food, you save money, exercise as you work on the kitchen garden and walk around the farm. The benefits are more.”

This “more” is what’s drawing young people back home — more peace, more health, more freedom.

With careful planning, a vision, and digital connectivity, rural life is no longer something people retire into. It’s something they choose early — to live fully, on their own terms.

If this trend continues, Kenya’s rural areas may witness a demographic shift that redefines development.

Rather than waiting for the government or donors to fix the village, young people are taking the lead — bringing skills, ideas, and investments home.

And as they plant their roots — whether in the soil or in digital bandwidth — they’re proving that modern life doesn’t have to mean urban life. The future, it seems, may be slower, greener, and just down the dusty road.