Papa Shirandula actress Awinja is known for her sense of humor, and a sarcastic Luhya accent that she uses on stage. 

Having been brought up in Gwanga area in Eastleigh, Jacky Vike alias Awinja experience hardships during her childhood.

In a comical interview on Engage Talk, Awinja revealed that her life at the ghetto would be embarrassing sometimes because of her alcoholic father. 

Even though he was filled with love for his children, Awinja's late dad would embarrass them when drunk. 

"My father really used to embarrass us. He was a drunkard. When a day passed without my mother being called to pick her husband, it was surprising no day would pass without him. Sometimes we would be taking supper, and hear screams outside 'Kujeni mchukue Baba Bony ameanguka kwa Mtaro an atanyongwa na maji.  . And we would run to his rescue,"  She said. 

Awinja said she was used to her father's reality, but one day she was so embarrassed by his behaviour when it made her the laughing stock at school. 

She recalled;

"There is this day he embarrassed me, we were from upcountry and my Grandma gave us chicken. My dad had not planned to slaughter it. But I released it and it got lost.

My dad came in the evening, and this time he was sober. When he heard that the chicken was lost, he went to take alcohol. 

In the middle of the night, we heard him shouting, waizi wao, wameiba, kuku yangu, wataona. The next day I went to school. While in class, some kids passed by, repeating what my father had been singing the previous night. 

When they were called, they narrated to the whole class how my father behaved the previous night. The whole class laughed at me."

The mother of one said that despite the embarrassment, her father was loving, responsible and would provide for his children and make sure they get educated. 

Today, she is a celebrated actress who is a role model to many young people in Kenya.