Margaret Kimani:
Currently studying in her final year of a Commerce degree at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. She will graduate in December 2013.
Photo: Margaret Nyambura Kimani, February 2013
FAMILY BACKGROUND
My name is Margaret Nyambura Kimani. I have been a volunteer with KENVO for more than three years I am an alumni from a 2009-2010 Canada World Youth program held in Winnipeg (Canada) Kagwe(Kenya). I am the fourth born of a family of seven. My family lives in Nyandarua District in a small community called Njabini, which is situated 80km Northwest of Nairobi. My parents had a great dream of having an educated and economically stable family in the foreseeable future but this never came true. This is because 1995 my loving Mom became sick and was operated and treated in different hospitals and it was very expensive for my Dad to settle the hospital bills and at the same time support our education. Therefore he was forced to get a loan in order to settle the hospital bill and pay for our school fees. Later even before my Dad had settled the loan, yet another misfortunes happened to my family where my second born brother fell sick and was to be operated, and again this costed a lot of money and my dad almost gave up. Thanks to the almighty God because despite all this my Dad still had a strong faith and was dedicated and determined to at least accord us a basic education. In 1998 Once again my dear mom was operated on and she had to undergo regular treatment until May 2001 when our loving, caring Mom passed on. Our lives almost came to stand still if it wasn’t for my Dad who fully and strongly stood beside us and encouraged us not to lose hope.
My dear mom left a big hospital bill which my dad tried to seek assistance for from his employer, but all this was in vain. Thus, my dad took all the responsibility of settling the bill of which he is still paying to date and at the same time trying to support our family where he can.
My older sister managed to study a course in Pharmacy but didn’t complete to the degree level. She started a small chemist and she had been helping my dad with settling some basic needs in our family. Unfortunately her business was burned down to ashes during the 2007 post election violence and this left her very desperate and discouraged. Since then she has not managed to start it again. Our second born pursued an advanced Diploma in telecommunication and Electronics Engineering and got a job. With his little salary, he helps my father to meet our basic needs. He is still looking forward to the day when he will get funds to further his studies so that he can secure a well paying job and thus be in a position to relieve my dad of the family financial burdens. Our third born started his certificate course in Information Technology and Marketing but didn’t managed to complete since that was the most misfortunate season for our family. He is still determined and hopeful that one day he shall get funds to complete his course. Currently my dad is paying school fees for my brother to go to college, pursuing Business Administration and my sister is in high school and our younger brother in primary school.
Anyways, despite all what our family has gone through, we have accepted it and our family is now united, strong and focused to face the future. Any support accorded toward my other siblings’ education will be very welcomed and appreciated. To our dear, caring and loving dad we salute you for taking care of us so far and to my dear mom we miss you and may your soul rest in peace.
REASONS TO CONTINUE WITH MY EDUCATION
Having been involved and volunteered in community activities, I had a chance to identify some problems that my community faces in business establishment and management and by choosing bachelor of commerce as a field of specialization I believe that I will be in a position to help the community on how to establish, manage and account for their businesses. Also I will be in a better position to help entrepreneurs in decision making and to link their business and environment thus attaining sustainable development.
COMMUNITY GAINS FROM MY EDUCATION
Through the skills I will gain, I will be in a position to mobilize and empower youth and other members of the community to initiate their own micro businesses and help them obtain loans to boost and market their businesses. I will also help them to network with other well established business persons in order share ideas and experiences on the best business practices.
I will also be in a position to empower Kenyans on the importance of managing thier money in a banktheir instead of in thier house and also on how to link business and the natural environment.
As well, I will act as the leading person in addressing the MDG’S mostly on poverty eradication which is the most crucial in my community. I will achieve this by empowering youth and the community to start environmentally sustainable income generating businesses, thus eradicating poverty and extreme hunger as well as assisting the youth to make money to pursue their career.
FUTURE GOALS
§ Help empower the community on how to write eco-business proposals, manage and implement eco-projects in order to achieve a sustainable and good quality of life.
§ To be a financial worker of different community and youth group projects.
§ To be in a position to support my family, by paying the school fees to my younger siblings
§ To pursue my masters after completing my first degree in commerce.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
Environment is a component of three dynamic forces which are economic forces, sociopolitical forces and natural forces. The present situation is that there is a scarcity of natural resources and a growing population which causes high demand of the resources for human needs. This has also influenced the economic status of the community leading to scramble for natural resources. My initiatives will help in linking environment with business income generating activities like bee keeping, eco-agriculture, ecotourism and among other eco-businesses, thus ensuring sustainable environment and livelihood improvement.
I will also empower the community on alternatives of natural resources in order to reduce overdependence of natural resources e.g. introduction of biogas as a source of cooking instead of using fossil fuels, thus reducing deforestation.
Further, environmental sustainability is very imperative since everything we do or depend on comes from the environment and if it’s not handled with great care then will be compromising the environment for future generations.
IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERING
§ It’s a very good way to show responsibility, accountability and love to the community by exercising skills gained at school that will in turn help them gain experience to achieve their goals.
§ Ensures unity, enthusiasm, harmony and respect for the community thus promoting peace and development of the community.
§ Helps to discover talents of young people and assist them to realize and utilize them wisely.
§ Brings growth, sustainability and development to the community by giving free services.
§ Creates potential opportunities to accomplish goals e.g. through volunteering with KENVO (The Kijabe Environment Volunteers), I learned about CWY (Canada World Youth) and I had a chance to participate in 2009-10 CWY program, thus gaining facilitation, leadership and communication skills and also upgrading my social skills, building self-confidence, and an awareness to think globally.
I am optimistic and determined that upon sharing my experience gained, it will impact the community and help lead to sustainable development and growth.
My vision is to continue volunteering with the community in various sectors to help eradicate hunger and extreme poverty and ensure environmental sustainablity.
WHY ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTINUE WITH MY EDUCATION WITHOUT OUTSIDE SUPPORT
All my other siblings wish to further their education and since we have only a single parent to support us it is not possible. Relying on our subsistence farming makes it difficult. My father is currently paying college tuition for my younger brother and two others in high school and primary school. He also must pay my mom’s loans and hospital bills she left us when she died. My sister is experiencing difficulties in restarting her business after it was burnt down during the 2007 post elections violence. My brother has a job with a very small salary. All these challenges facing my family make it impossible for me to continue with my education without external support. On that note, I wish to thanks the people I met in Canada during my participation in the Canada World Youth program. You are wonderful, generous, loving and offered to support my education. This gave me hope again to continue my education. I am very overwhelmed by this and I am promising to work very hard so that one day I can be in a position to give back my gratitude by supporting other disadvantaged people to achieve their life goals.