Norman Kamau joined the program in 2008 when Katy Egan-Benck and Ed Benck started sponsoring him. He was a very shy boy who was dealing with the recent passing of his father as a result of AIDS. He lived in a small two-bedroom house with his mother, who works as a seamstress, and his two brothers. They do not have water in the house, so it had to be purchased elsewhere and carried in. Norman’s brothers were 15 and 18 when he joined our program, so the family was very excited for him to get a quality education starting at a young age.
Norman graduated from Muguga Boy’s High School in 2016 where he only accomplished a D+ on his senior year exams, despite being a bright student. He decided to pursue his dream of becoming a tour guide and enrolled at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute for his post-secondary studies where he studied Nature Interpretation & Tour Administration. He successfully completed his one year course, and is now waiting for formal graduation later this year.
In the meantime, he has been working as a Marketing and Administrative Assistant at Karibu Loo where he has been able to gain valuable work experience and job training. He has proven himself to be a dedicated employee, and has even brought in some of his own sales!
With his new diploma, job experience, and skills learned through our programming, Norman has not only transformed his own life, but will continue to improve the lives of his family members and community. His story is just one example of how education and support from a loving network of adults (such as sponsors, guardians, and caseworkers) can make a difference.
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