Page 61 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 12

MY AFRIKA

ness person, my mum was a nurse. in order to join the school. old mama who was very helpful to
I grew up in a town called Kisumu me and she really encouraged me to
(maybe you’ve heard of it!), as we Everything that I went with to struggle and keep on working.
grew up, my mum and dad moved school that first day was was sec-
to another town called Migori, ondhand; I got them from friends You were in and out of school for
which is now a county because of who had cleared school. These in- the most part and eventually you
devolution in Kenya. cluded uniforms even up to my dic- got a scholarship and at some
tionary. By the time I was admitted point later joined the universi-
Being the only child, I mean, you to St. Joseph's School, I had already ty where you became a student
know how ‘only children’ are teased, moved out of my uncle's place. I leader to many other people.
and the love and support they get felt I was a burden to them and I
from their parents... I didn’t know wanted to be on my own path and Yes, I got a scholarship with a group
anything of the difficulties of the to do my own thing. It was then that called OVS (Orphans and Vulnera-
world being raised in that type of I found somebody very good, who ble Students) of Kenyatta Univer-
family. I grew up not knowing chal- took care of me called Mr. Amos sity. These are scholarships given
lenges or any type of difficulties. Okong’o. He took me to school as to needy and deserving students. I
my guardian because then you could did not expect to get the scholar-
At the age of 12, things changed, not go to school without somebody ship, I thought for sure that there
completely. I lost my mum and later who could hold your hand. He also was corruption in the system and I
lost my dad. I had to leave the acad- had a family to look after and to would not get an opportunity, but I
emy I was in which my parents were balance between them and me was want to thank Kenyatta University
paying for and join another, which not always easy. that the process was very transpar-
my uncle had promised to pay for ent and I was selected as number
during my parents' send off. My At Rapogi, I survived with the eight out of thousands from across
uncle was a horticultural farmer, so I likes of Gabriel Dinda who is now Africa that were interviewed. I was
used to work at his farm and go to a the CEO of the Writers' Guild in privileged to join KU but I had to
school where his children were also Kenya. He is the one who would quickly make a plan because the
being sponsored. But things were give me some money or food at the scholarship only covered my fees. I
not easy. I appreciate that my uncle canteen where he was the head. I even sold ‘chapati’, ‘mandazi’ I did
tried, but I have to say that there would go there and my smile usually a lot of business at KU but what
was so much struggle in terms of enticed him and he would give me changed and transformed me were
that equality of treatment which you some bread. He would also advise the clubs I joined and the service I
get from biological parents. I had to me because he was a student leader gave to the students. Through that I
adapt to the environment and he also helped me to join clubs was elected class representative. All
like the Christian Union, which my years in campus I was the only
That’s right. helped build me when I was at that person students would propose, un-
Many times I went to the streets, I school. til the lecturer intervened to say they
sold water, I worked in construction needed to choose somebody else.
sites just to atleast get something for I studied there upto my second year,
myself. Later on, I got a scholarship but I was not able to move to the It was at Kenyatta University that
to another academy and finished my next level because they wanted me I started a clup called The Icon of
(Published with permission from the governor's office)
primary school. I was then invited to to pay for full fees. I had looked Integrity Club and that is how I met
one of the top performing schools for support everywhere but they all Professor PLO. The club's main vi-
in South Nyanza; St. Joseph's turned me down. So I dropped out sion was to sanitize campus politics
School, Rapogi which is a national in form two. I went and toiled for because we found out that mostly
school. I didn’t have any support or some time and got some money and campus politics reflect national
finances. I didn't have any siblings to I came back and I plead with them politics, even across Africa, and you
turn to. I only had my grandmum. I to take me back. They did but I was find that whatever they learn there
didn't have anything in my hand. I not able to sustain my fees and I they pick it up and they mess up
had to toil; I went back to work at eventually dropped out completely. everything.
different construction sites trying to
raise money and talking to friends I began selling fries on the streets We started this as a pilot project to
and I managed to get what I needed and there I also met somebody; an tell young people that they can

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