Sarah Mtalii is speaking about virtue. But not in abstract terms. For her, it is lived. It is tested. And, at times, it is costly.

In a reflective post shared on her Instagram page on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the entrepreneur said virtue sits at the centre of how women raise children, build careers and influence the world around them.

“A virtuous woman raises strong children, builds successful businesses, and creates impact beyond herself,” she wrote.

The message struck a chord with many of her followers, not just because of its tone, but because of the life behind it.

More than a quote

Mtalii’s words come from experience. In recent weeks, she has spoken openly about the private struggles that shaped her outlook on family, work and strength.

In an interview with broadcaster Alex Mwakideu in January, she traced the turning point in her marriage to its fourth year. It was a moment, she said, that quietly shifted everything she believed about her union.

“I would say the problems began in the fourth year after we were wedded,” she said. “That is when I realised it was not what we had vowed.”

The truth, she added, became impossible to ignore during her pregnancy.

“When I was pregnant with my son, that is when I knew there was trouble in paradise,” she said.

Endurance and silence

Mtalii said she turned to family for guidance, hoping for clarity. What she received instead was encouragement to endure.

“You go to family and they sit you down because even they do not want shame,” she said. “They encourage you to go back and persevere.”

She revealed that she left the marriage in 2013, a decision that remained private at the time.

“I had already left in 2013, but the internet did not know,” she said.

She later returned and chose to endure quietly.

“I went back to the marriage. I persevered,” she explained.

But the problems, she said, did not stop.

“The issues were constant,” Mtalii said. Rather than confront them publicly, she poured herself into her work. “I buried myself in work.”

The cost of carrying on

Over time, the strain showed up physically. Doctors warned her that the stress was taking a toll.

“They told me, if you do not disconnect from whatever is causing this stress, your health is in danger,” she recalled.

Emotionally, the distance in the marriage had grown wide.

“We had become total strangers,” she said.

It is against this backdrop that her message on virtue lands. Not as an idealised standard, but as a quiet strength that holds families together, shapes children, and allows women to build something meaningful, even in the midst of pain.

Redefining strength

For Mtalii, virtue is not about silence or suffering for its own sake. It is about integrity, discipline and purpose, even when the path is unclear.

Her story adds weight to her words. It suggests that raising strong children and building lasting work often happens alongside difficult choices, long seasons of endurance, and moments when walking away becomes an act of courage.