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Magdalene Milanoi, known to 126,000 TikTok followers as a high-fashion influencer, is a Kenyan-trained registered nurse navigating the complexities of the Canadian healthcare system and the harsh realities of the diaspora.
To her 126,000 followers on TikTok, she is known as @its_Millanoi, a fashionista par excellence and a young Kenyan living out loud in Canada. She describes herself as a simple Maasai girl and a conversationalist who, over the years, has mastered the art of sparking conversations and reactions online that have earned her brand influencer roles in both Kenya and Canada. She is also an event host and a notable name among the African community in Canada's events industry.
Magdalene Milanoi's rise as a social media brand influencer is plain to see. Collectively, her three most-viewed TikTok posts have received around 11 million views.
However, what many of her followers may not realise is that Milanoi is a registered nurse who began her career at a college in Msambweni, Kwale County, many years ago. The 35-year-old went on to work in several hospitals, including Nairobi Hospital and Mama Lucy Hospital, as an operating room nurse.
Milanoi Nameyok, 35, Brand Influencer & Nurse in Ontario Canada, January, 2026.
“Although I mention it in my posts at times, many followers do not pay attention to the nursing side of my life. They are more intrigued by my views on various issues and how boldly I tackle topics of any kind.”
Brand influencing is not currently her main source of income, but she is clear about where she wants to go with it. "I'm doing this on the side, and I hope to build this brand to a high level so that I can transition from being a nurse to being a full-time brand influencer and event host. That's the future I'm currently building. It's not that I hate nursing; I just feel like this is the direction I should take. I hope to transition fully in the next two to three years.”
In 2010, the desire to move abroad began stirring up in her, and it was fuelled by the promise of familial support to relocate to Australia. " I had family and friends in Australia, and it would have felt safer and been much easier to navigate, given that I was still figuring out life. I had even been accepted into college, but then my link pulled the rug out from under my feet."
She was forced to rethink her plans. "At the time, I was working two jobs in Kenya. The more permanent one was at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, and I also worked part-time at the Nairobi Hospital. The advantage of having a government job is that you get access to credit, which would later come to my aid."
While working at Mama Lucy, she was introduced to an agency that was recruiting nurses for postgraduate programmes in Canada with future job prospects. Having flirted with the idea of relocating in the past, she jumped at the opportunity. "Even though Canada was the complete opposite of Australia, I convinced myself that, as a Maasai girl, I am a natural nomad and nomads can survive anywhere."
To relocate comfortably, she needed about Sh2 million. "This covered relocation costs, which were half the annual school fees, rent, and money to help me settle in during my first few months. This is where my government job came in handy, as I could easily take out a loan.”
Using the loan together with her savings, she covered the initial expenses. Milanoi left for Canada in 2019 as a postgraduate student.
"As a student, I was only permitted to work a limited number of hours. Nobody told me about this regulation. Naively, I thought I would earn enough to cover my tuition fees and living expenses. Housing was on a shared basis. Having left Kenya as a professional living in my own house and enjoying the liberties of adulthood, this was quite the turn of events.”
To get by, she started waiting tables. "I had a colleague who would help me carry my waiting tray to the tables, because if I tried to do it alone, I risked dropping customers’ orders. Did I want that?”
Milanoi completed two certificate programmes at Niagara College in Welland, Ontario. "I did a certificate in palliative care and another in healthcare management in the months leading up to 2020."
She survived her first year. She can now look back and joke about it. "I had many questions about whether I had made the right decisions. As a young black woman, I was looked down upon , and even after qualifying, I had to complete a tedious registration process to be allowed to practise in Canada.”
As all this was going on, her long-term relationship was coming to an end.
"First, there is the time difference and the commitment to work that stand between two people who are dating and living on different continents. Then there are the doubt and mistrust that creep in. From what I have observed here, relationships rarely survive their first year when one of the partners moves abroad for work or study. It becomes too difficult to navigate. Additionally, there is the growing sense of neediness. A partner who is thousands of miles away can’t be there when you want a hug, for example. I'm just a girl, you know — hugs in those situations are a necessity." She laughs.
Milanoi is now a registered nurse. Her biggest challenge to date has been the racism that comes with working in a predominantly white country. "I have been called names while on duty. Patients have asked me spitefully if I am a registered nurse or a nursing assistant. I can tell this is racially motivated because none of my white colleagues get asked such questions. People believe that just because they are white, they are superior.”
She responds to these indignities by walking away. "It’s pointless trying to prove anything to people who can’t look beyond the colour of my skin. People think that the healthcare sector is exempt from this. It is as prevalent here as it would be in any other sector.”
Does she miss home? "Of course, especially the weather. I grew up on the coast, so you can imagine the difference I have to deal with in winter, for example. The other things I wish I could readily enjoy while here are food, people, culture and the sense of community that is found back home. For now, it is what it is."
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