|
NAME |
CAROLYNE MUKIDANI |
|
AGE |
22 YEARS |
|
RESIDENCE |
EPANJA |
|
COLLEGE |
BUNGOMA TEAHERS TRAINING COLLEGE |
|
VULNERABILITY |
TOTAL OPHAN |
|
COURSE |
TEACHING |
BACKGROUND
The student mentioned above resides at Epanja village, east Wanga division, and western province. She is a total orphan who stays with her maternal grandmother. The parents passed away in her early age leaving her alone to her grandmother. The grandmother does not have any stable job to finance her needs. They have been staying at Epanja village together with her maternal uncles ever since when she was still young.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The student was enrolled on the program while in primary school, since then she has been showing her great determination in her education. She joined St. Marys secondary school and sat for her KCSE examinations attaining a mean grade of C (Plain). From there she joined Bungoma Teachers Training college whereby she has graduated and now teaching at a local primary school awaiting government placement
NAME: - GEOFFREY MUKWAMBO
STATUS: - PARTIAL ORPHAN
COMMUNITY: - BUMWENDE
Geoffrey Mukwambo was born in in Elwakana village in Mumias District in the republic of Kenya. His father passed on living him and the brother Benard Mwachi Mukabana under the responsibility of their mother. His mother was a housewife and did not have a stable source of income.
In 1990 their mother was kicked out from her matrimonial home by Geoffrey’s uncles. Geoffrey’s mother went back her parents’ home and re- married elsewhere living Geoffrey and his brother under the care of his old grandparents. Life was very hard for Geoffrey and his brother. His grandfather worked tirelessly in making sure that the two acquire education.
While Geoffrey was in standard seven, the grandfather passed on, leaving him and his brother under the care of his grandmother. Geoffrey completed standard eight and scored 336 marks out of 500 in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations. He secured a chance at Mumias Muslim Boys Secondary but couldn’t manage to join since there wasn’t money for fees. ‘My grandmother could not afford to take me to school and the only alternative I was left with was to look after my grandmother and paternal uncle’s cattle, as all of them claimed they can’t afford secondary education”’Geoffrey got a well-wisher from his maternal family who volunteered to pay for him school fees at St. Charle Khalaba secondary school. He scored a mean grade of C plain in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Geoffrey was trained as peer educator by SAIPEH and started teaching other youth on health issues. He was also selected by USAID funded project called APHA 11 WESTERN, where he was enrolled as Community Health Worker and elected as APHA11 Lusheya sub location youth leader for a period of three years. The project was co-ordinated in Butere-Mumias District by SAIPEH. ‘I knew there were no chances of me joining college, if my grandmother could not afford secondary fees definitely she could not afford to take me to college that is why I decided to be a youth volunteer’ He noted.
Geoffrey applied for a diploma course in Business management at Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) and was given admission. He did not enroll because of lack of money for fees. “I just applied hoping that I will get a well-wisher to sponsored me” He said. It was during the same period that he heard about SAIPEH administered scholarship and he applied. SAIPEH catered for her college fee until he completed a diploma course in business management. He decided to work at SAIPEH as a volunteer after studies and developed keen interest in monitoring and evaluation. “That was the only way I could say thank to SAIPEH for sponsoring me through college.” He observed. SAIPEH decided to assign him more volunteer responsibilities in planning, monitoring and evaluation. He developed further skills through hands own. Geoffrey was offered a job as monitoring and evaluation officer. SAIPEH further sponsored him for short training participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME), which has enhanced his knowledge and skills in participatory monitoring and evaluation. “My sincere gratitude’s goes to the Chello Foundation and SAIPEH for the generous support which enabled me acquire Diploma in Business management. I look forward to furthering my studies to a degree level in future and continue to work for the community welfare .Thank you and may God bless you all”. He concluded.
ANNETTE AKUNGWI
Annette is now a high school teacher. Annette completed her primary education in 2008 with high marks of 386 but did not join secondary school because the family was poor. She opted to be a house help in Nairobi in 2009-2011. Life was hell for her. On coming back home she heard that SAIPEH had a tailoring school and she enrolled to train in dress making, she did this for four months and one day the Executive Director of SAIPEH while on his routine inspection,talked to the trainees and asked if any of them was willing to go to high school. That is when Annette came out and it was discovered she had passed with high marks but hadn’t joined secondary school. A School was found and Annette joined Shitoto girls Secondary school with support from SAIPEH. Annett’s dream came through. ‘l decided l had to work hard and perform well as this was the only opportunity that l had to change my life’. Annette topped the class throughout until she completed form four and joined university to take a bachelor’s degree in Education.’Annette surprised us, we didn’t expect a student who had been out of school for 3 years to top the class and even perform well to go to University’, the head teacher of the school said. It was not easy,at home,we had a drunk and violent father,he even wanted me to get married so he gets dowry,to him school was a waste of time and resources’, says Annette on her journey from a house help to a high school teacher.’ I now support my siblings and we are great friend with my dad who has now reformed. I helped my mother to start a small business,am grateful to SAIPEH for having held my hand all along, my potential would be buried’.
It is true that in Africa education transforms families and many needy students like the case of Annette are let go because they can’t afford to pay school fees and other school related costs.