Lydia is a Call Center Attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited and is Looking Ahead to Graduate School
A Chinese proverb states “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step”. This is the story of Lydia, born in the sprawling slums of Kawangware where she could not imagine that she would be a college graduate.
Lydia’s journey has not been easy. In her early years, as far as she can remember, her father left the family leaving them stunned and hurt. Being the sole breadwinner, his departure affected the already financially struggling family. Her mother was not able to care for Lydia and her small brother. They barely survived with only one meal a day, if they were lucky. Lydia woke up every morning and went to a community primary public school with no hope of joining a secondary school. Life was unfair and each day things seemed to be deteriorating. She never dreamt of having the life she lives now.
Thanks to Friends of Ngong Road and Ngong Road Children’s Foundation, she was paired with a sponsor who was instrumental in her success. Her school fees were fully paid from primary school through university, including necessary school supplies. This generous support made her work even harder to achieve good grades.
At 23 years old she prides herself not just for having attained a BS in Economics and Finance but also for being among the few girls in her neighborhood that have transformed their life in this way. Her transformational journey has just started as Lydia now works as a call center attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited, a fiber optic company. Her future aspirations include earning a master’s degree so she can pursue better job opportunities.
Bernard is an Operations Associate at Karibu Loo Limited
Bernard is one of our graduates who currently works at Karibu Loo Limited as an Operations Associate, after completing a driving course. He is grateful for how far he has come and is now on the right path to transforming his life. His story is that of persistence and demonstrating a spirit of not giving up.
He was raised by his aunt, since his mother was in poor health, which made it impossible for her to be involved in his upbringing. Unlike many children, he had a lot of challenges which caused him to enroll in school at an older age than normal. He and eight of his family members lived in a single-room home, where it was impossible to get any privacy, something that he treasured. Every time he went back to boarding school he had a sense of relief.
His family situation affected his academics and like most teens, he had his own challenges. But he never gave up and finished high school with the support of his sponsor and program staff. He was even elected school president while in high school. Bernard says, “Learning to have that persistence, letting my ego down a bit, and asking for help is what has made me come this far. Thanks to everyone who helped me through school.”
Brian is a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited
Brian is one of our recent graduates whose life has been transformed by the support he received from our program. His story is one that will be told for generations to come in his family. Despite all the odds in life, Brian has been able to use his experience as a stepping stone to climb the ladder. His mother died after separating from his father which left him and his siblings no option but to stay with their grandparents. He recognized early on that he needed to take school seriously if he was to ever get out of the deplorable living situations he found himself in and help his aging grandparents.
While he was sponsored, he gained various skills that helped him develop as a whole person. The life skills learned during school holidays and at camp encourage him to pursue leadership roles in both secondary and post-secondary school. The computer skills he developed through our program have been essential in his journey to acquiring a job. He completed his diploma in Entrepreneurship Development from The Eldoret Polytechnic and currently works as a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited. Even though he’s only been there for a month, he’s already able to understand key marketing tips and handle queries from clients.
He knows his life was changed for the better because of his education and he is not only full of gratitude but wants to support someone through their education in the future. Brian shared, “Success favors those who fail till they succeed and never let challenges be a stumbling block rather let them be opportunities for growth.”
Leave a Reply