Chris Wamalwa Wekesa – Student of Education is Power

Program:  Diploma in Journalism at Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya as of June 27, 2013

Course cost:  $740 per year (not including books or living expenses)

Brief intro of Chris:

Hello, my full name is Chrispus Wekesa Wamalwa. I am the second born in the family of eight, five brothers and two sisters. I am from rural part Bungoma in western Kenya near the Ugandan border.

Since October 13 2004, we have been raised solely by my mother and therefore with all these responsibilities it has been very difficult. My father was the bread winner in the family and since his departure things have never been the same again. The family resources can not sustain both my educational requirements and family needs since we have just a small piece of land and the type of farming is just for subsistence. I live in an extended family consisting of my paternal grandparents and my two uncles. Both of my uncles seem to have concentrated on their own children making us less equal in the community. My elder brother seems to have given up on life judging by the activities he is involved in now. My immediate young brother is mentally challenged and this has been a very big challenge to the family, especially when it comes to allocating family responsibilities.

My mother, who was a business lady before loosing her whole shipment of clothes in the post election violence of 2007-08. She had always played a very important role in our lives but now she seems to be pessimistic. Very sadly, in May 2013 certain gangs invaded my home village burning down my family home and murdering my grandfather.  

Reasons for continuing with my education:

I always feel I have something to offer to my Kenyan community and the only way to do it is first by gaining knowledge. I want to be my people’s watch dog when it comes to sharing of the national cake. In the current society, you may experience very stiff competition from educated people however bright your ideas may be. By taking journalism as a career, I am intending to unearth all injustices in society, be their mirror and make them be heard where they are neglected. For me to be able to realize my dream, I must further my education and broaden my thinking abilities to convert my dreams into realities. Finally, it seems my family has taken the wrong a path and I feel am responsible in turning their diminishing hopes into a good quality of life.

I believe education is the best gift in life and it is only through education that the marginalized community will rise up. I am also intending to support the less fortunate in the community to help them realize their dreams. I intend to enlighten the whole community on the importance of education especially the girl child who has been neglected more so in rural Kenya. The moral standards of my community is not up to standards largely due to drinking habits especially youths and I feel betrayed whenever they represent my community in any meeting.

My Future Goals:

I want to be a social/environmental journalist in order to deal with social injustices that are rampant in our daily lives. Environment is life and I believe we are not doing enough to sustain it, therefore I will use my environmental knowledge to highlight the risks should we misuse our natural world. Journalism deals with people directly and thus I will act as a link between the government, NGO’s, and my community to ensure equal distribution of national wealth.

Volunteerism:

I have worked with KENVO (Kijabe Environment Volunteers) as a volunteer since April 2011 to date. Before I used to volunteer as a primary school teacher in my village for one and a half years. Volunteering is great because it gives someone a lot of experience in different fields and allows one to giving back to his/her community. It also nurtures leadership skills in specific fields.

Thank you very much and God Bless You,

Chris Wekesa – Student of Education is Power 

Bungoma, Kenya

Jane Wambui Kinuthia

Jane writes:

I was born in a family of five being the first born and the only girl.  My parents worked as farmers before my father died.  That was back in 2007.  After my father’s death my mother couldn’t stand life with her in-laws and without my father around.  So she decided to move with my four siblings leaving me behind.  Up to date I have been unable to know their whereabouts.  Though in August 2012 I received a phone call from my brother (the second born) telling me that had been arrested for reasons unknown.  After a week he informed me that she is to serve a jail term at Langata Women’s Prison.  I have not heard anything further since then.

I dropped out of high school for almost three years due to life challenges in our family.  During all that time I actually learned a lot because I got to know that I was lacking something very important – education.  I met many kinds of people, I interacted with them and I must say I admired the life of those who are educated – the way they make decisions, how they interact with people wisely, how they think critically and how they reason.  I also realized those who are educated are held with respect and dignity in society.  Thinking about all these I wished I could get an opportunity to go back to complete my secondary education.

Being the first born in a family of five I know I am the only hope for my siblings to be educated and gain a better life.    I don’t want to continue to live the kind of life I have lived.  I would hate to see myself and my family suffer the way we did.  I wish to be able to be self-reliant and I know education will help me do this.  I believe education is the key.  That is why I want to be able to help others like me beyond my family to also gain an education, thus changing the lives of as many people as I can – especially those who are disadvantaged.   Once I attain a proper education I know I will be able to help many others.

I’ve realized that the level of education in my community is quite low due to lack of opportunity or interest.   Many people tend to think that there not enough jobs for learned people.  I would like to conduct school programs for these kind of people to help them realize the importance of education.  It is not only important because one can be employed but also the knowledge acquired can be used on a day to day basis.  As well, one can be a professional entrepreneur and employ him/herself and others.

In December 2014, I will be completing my high school education.  After high school it is my goal to study nursing.  With this education, it is my desire to help many disadvantaged people and orphans.

I believe it is important to volunteer in your community because it is well needed and it also encourages others to help out as well.  I have been volunteering in an environmental conservation club (Kijabe Environment Volunteers) since primary school.  I have been doing a lot of down clean ups to encourage people to dispose of waste properly and I have also been involved in tree-planting – replenishing our local forests with indigenous trees.  It is my desire to continue to help in environmental conservation efforts because we cannot be healthy without a flourishing natural environment.

Juliet Nyausi

Juliet is currently studying at St. Theresa’s girls school in Meru County, Kenya.  Her favourite subject is Chemistry.  After secondary school she would like to go on to study in Tourism Management.  She is from a remote Maasai community known as Il Ngwesi in Laikipia, Kenya.

Photo:  Juliet Nyausi at St. Theresa’s Secondary in Meru County, Kenya – January 2013

Photo: Education is Power founder Dave Cuddy with Juliet Nyausi, January 2013

Juliet Nyausi attends St. Theresa’s girls school in Meru County, Kenya. She will graduate in December 2014.  Juliet is a graduate from our partner at Lokusero Primary in the Maasai community of Il Ngwesi in Laikipia, Kenya.  The vast majority of primary graduates from Lokusero cannot go onto secondary school since they have no secondary school in their community and must pay a great deal to attend a boarding school.  She dreams to go to university which is practically unheard of in her community.

Tuition costs including room in board for one year (2013):  37350 Ksh (about $440 depending on exchange) This excluding extra expenses such as school uniform and transportation home during the holidays

Sakui Moipon Maire

Sakui dreams of becoming a lawyer in Kenya.  His favourite subject is History.  He is from a remote Maasai community known as Il Ngwesi in Laikipia, Kenya.

Photo:  Sakui Moipon Maire, February 2013

Photo:  (left) Sakui Moipon Maire with Education is Power founder Dave Cuddy at Nanyuki Boys High School in Nanyuki, Kenya

Sakui is currently studying at Nanyuki Boys High School in Nanyuki, Kenya.  He will graduate in December 2015.  Sakui is a graduate from our partner at Lokusero Primary in the Maasai community of Il Ngwesi in Laikipia, Kenya.  The vast majority of primary graduates from Lokusero cannot go onto secondary school since they have no secondary school in their community and must pay a great deal to attend a boarding school. He dreams to go to university which is practically unheard of in his community.

Tuition costs for one year including room and board (2013): 39430 Ksh (about $465 depending on exchange) This is excluding other expenses such as a school uniform and transportation to his home during holidays.

Pascoline dreams of becoming a doctor in Kenya.  Her favourite subjects are Chemistry, Math, and Physics.  She is from a remote Maasai community known as Il Ngwesi which is located in Laikipia, Kenya.

Photo: (left) Pascoline Naserian Huson with her classmate at P.C.E.A. Nanyuki Girls School, February 2013

Photo: (left) Education is Power founder Dave Cuddy with Pascoline Naserian Huson, February 2013

Pascoline is currently studying at P.C.E.A. Nanyuki girls secondary school in Kenya.  She will graduate in December 2015.  She is a graduate from our partner at Lokusero Primary in the Maasai community of Il Ngwesi in Laikipia, Kenya.  The vast majority of primary graduates from Lokusero cannot go onto secondary school since they have no secondary school in their community and must pay a great deal to attend a boarding school.  She dreams to go to university which is practically unheard of in her community.

Tuition costs for one year (2013):  40,200 Ksh (about $475 depending on exchange)  This is excluding extra expenses such as school uniforms and transportation to her home during the holidays.

Student of Finance and Accounting:  Zipporah Mugure

As of July 2013, thanks to the help of EIP, Zipporah began her final two years of a degree in Finance and accounting at Mount Kenya University.

Photo:  Zipporah Mugure assists in one of KENVO’s tree nurseries in Lari District, Kenya

Hello, my name is Zipporah Mugure Kamau, the first born in a family of five girls.  I am from Kimende, Kenya, which is 50km Northwest of Nairobi. I was brought up by a single mother starting from my teenage years since my mother had to separate with my dad due to family issues. I would say their separation was a tragedy to me since it happened at a time when I was to join my first year of high school. I had hoped my dad would support me fully. Luckily my mom was able to see me join high school and finish despite going through many financial challenges.

My dream was to become a nurse after high school having lived along the Nairobi – Nakuru highway and witnessed lots of accidents. This made me think that if I was a nurse I could have attended the victims rather than looking at them helplessly as I used to. This dream was eventually not achievable because I did not attain eligible grades and I had a lack of information that I could have re-sat for the subjects I didn’t do as well in i.e. Biology and physics.

Despite the ups and downs in my life I have made it through. I was lucky to have finished high school two years before people my age.  This made me spend my time in the company of older friends. They opened up my eyes to the business world and so I followed their footsteps. I was employed by one of them as a shop attendant at a nearby shopping center and the little money I earned I used to share with my mother. With her share, she was able to join a women funding agency (Kenya Women Finance Trust) and rented a ‘shamba’ (small farm) and planted kale and spinach to sell in Nairobi Wakulima Marke.  This allowed my mom to be self employed and she stopped working as a casual laborer on other people’s farms.

With my share, I was able to enroll for a three month church sponsored computer course, which opened doors to my successes so far. Immediately after complementing my computer course, I left the shop attendant employment and a friend approached me to sit in for her sister who was going for a maternity leave in their bureau. My role at the bureau was to offer computer services thanks to ACK St. Paul – Kereita, and photocopying services….and of course at a better pay than that previously earned as a shop attendant.

During my computer classes at the church, a friend of mine introduced me to a local community based organization called KENVO (The Kijabe Environment Volunteers).  Here I began to volunteer during my free time. What attracted me most was the fun involved during bird watching, tree planting and occasional visits to various scenic sites in and outside our province. Besides knowing birds and various trees species, other good things came to my knowledge like the World Environmental Day as well as Earth Day among others. This promoted my exposure to the ‘other side’ out of my immediate family and community at large since I only knew of home and my village.

While at the bureau and volunteering with KENVO, I got an opportunity to participate in KENVO’s Youth Exchange Program together with five other youth in 2004. Since, the exchange was taking place outside of my community and also out of Kenya, I left my bureau employment and with my savings, I was to buy my travel bags and clothes since everything else was provided.  During the six month program it was a period of transformation for me.  I got to know myself better, gained self confidence and became responsible for others to an extent my fellow participants called me ‘mama Zip’. While in the program, we used to be given Kshs. 200 ($2.75) per day as pocket money to specifically to cater for what was not provided for by our host families.   I used part of it and saved some for my family and education.

While in the sixth month exchange program, I applied for a diploma in Information and Technology sponsorship at a college in Nairobi. A friend had seen their advert in one of the Kenyan newspapers – The Daily Nation, and together we gave it a try. I was lucky to get a sponsorship in April 2005 whereby the college paid half of the nine month course fee and I covered the rest as well as daily transport to Nairobi.  I did this for a period of four months with my savings from the exchange program. During my IT course, I took a unit in Finance and Accounting and this guided me in my new career choice.

With my IT diploma, I got a contract with KENVO as a support staff in their exchange programs and it was at this time that I had an opportunity to be an exchange program leader commonly known as Project Supervisor (PS). I was chosen for the position and led the KENVO/Canada World Youth Team of 2006/2007. From the three months pay (Kenyan Phase only) and a few donations from my Canadian colleague – Ms Tashana Wint, I was able to enroll in a two year Diploma in Business Management at the Kenya Institute of Management. I graduated the program in 2011.

My dream was to take my diploma to the degree level in Finance and Accounting. However, since the financial load required to undertake the program is so high, I am unable to enroll. I am hoping to join the program and gain the degree since the job market is very competitive in accounting

     Why I want to continue with my education:

The reason as to why I want to continue with my education is to be self reliant, help my family and the entire community where possible. By getting  a higher education I will be in a position to get a well paying job or begin my own business, which in turn will help my family. I also want to bring change to my society since I believe like Nelson Mandela that Education is the most powerful weapon that one can use to bring about change in this world.

    How will my community benefit from me gaining this education?

Being youthful, knowledgeable and energetic I will be a great asset to my organization, family and the entire community. People in the community will be eligible to sit in development projects and give inputs that mend some of the areas mismanaged. I will as well continue to guide the youth in the choice of their career especially fresh graduates from high school.  I will also be able to campaign for them to further their studies.

By achieving more education we shall have educated my entire society as so they so – “when you educate a woman you educated the whole society”

How will I ensure environmental sustainability with my future plans, career and goals? Why do I think environmental sustainability is important?

I have been and I will continue to ensure environmental sustainability in my community. In the organization I work with – KENVO, I am helping to run school based Environmental Programs.  With these programs we are working with students to promote tree planting and town clean ups.

Environmental   sustainability is very important for the present and future generations. Our natural resources such as forests are critical for conservation since they provide us with clean water for drinking, domestic use, industrial and agriculture use, as well as regulating the climate.

Why do I think it is important to volunteer? 

It is very important to volunteer in community work, first to give back to the society and secondly as a youth a gets work experience which every employer is looking for while recruiting staff. Volunteering is also important as it leads one to self realization. I bear testimony of how volunteerism is of importance; it made me to be a responsible person, got my self confidence along the way as well as paving way to my career path

Why I need your help with finances:

At my age, it is assumed that I should be responsible for everything. Maybe, my mother would love to contribute a little towards my education but she is not in a position to do that since the little money she is earning will be used as expenses as well for my to younger sisters still in high school.

Again from my employment, it is not possible to cover University fees since it is way much too high as compared to what I have been paying for in college. In college it was more flexible since there is an option of paying in installments and this is not the case in Universities, every semester fees are payable upfront and this before commencement of a semester.

None of my relatives are in a position to assist in my education but I can be able to contribute a little bit and especially in my transport, accommodation and school based project expenses (Photocopying, printing and reports bindings).

Updates

Photo:  Zipporah Mugure smiles in back left as she welcomes people to Education is Power fundraiser in Kimende, Kenya on February 10, 2013

EIP charity invitation

Hi my name is Jayo Ramson.  I am a Masai from the  Il Ngwesi community in Chumvi village Kenya.  I live with my mother and father.  I have four brothers and four sisters.   My parents are small scale farmers with one cow, two goats and one sheep.   My parents do not make enough income to send me to high school.  I am kindly requesting any well wisher who could help me join high school.

Gaining an education will allow me to achieve my dream to become a teacher.  I will be in a good position to educate people in my community towards positive changes that are needed.   For example: working towards stopping polygamy and also keeping a smaller number of animals that will balance with the amount of grazeable land.  

I believe environmental sustainability is very important because:

–          It is the home for wild animals

–          It controls soil erosion

–          It keeps the land looking beautiful

–          Forests allow rainfall

–          Bees make honey from flowers

I have some experience volunteering with a tree nursery.   I help distribute seedlings in my community so people can plant trees near their homes.

Some of my extended family is willing to contribute a small amount towards my high schooling, however it is not enough. 

Thank you for your time.

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.