Shadrack Shitseswa

  • Education, University of Nairobi, graduated 2016
  • Economic Development Project for Youth: Promoting education through youth mentorship and income generating activities
  • Matunda
  • Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

DSCN5077Shadrack had major difficulties getting through primary and secondary school due to lack of school fees.  His routine during primary school was to wake up at 5am, fetch water from a 30 feet deep bore-hole, milk 3 cows, and give the cattle food for the day, then walk to school delivering milk along the way. He had to drop out of secondary school because of his father’s misbehavior. Dejected, he went back to his casual income earning duties such as selling fuel.

Shadrack finally graduated from secondary with a KCSE of a B.  However, that grade was not good enough to acquire substantial financial assistance in university.  So after struggling for 2 years, he went back to secondary school to be able to earn a better grade on his KCSE and obtain the needed financial assistance to attend university.

Eric Lemungesi

 

  • Environmental Health, Kenyatta University, graduated July 2016
  • Girl Project: Promoting education and through youth mentorship and income generating activities
  • Isiolo County
  • Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

Eric is the fifth born of seven children.  He was born in Loruko in DSCN5020Oldonyiro Division of Isiolo County where in 1996 there were war clashes between the Somali and Samburu communities.  Eric and his family were forced to flee for their safety.  Due to this upheaval, Eric was left with his aunt who raised him. Eric’s dream is to start an orphanage and rehabilitation center and sensitize Kenyans on the importance of education.  He is studying Environmental Health at Kenyatta University. Eric says, “I want to be an instrument of positive change in my community…my destiny is my agenda..”  Eric’s project focuses on assisting girls in the semi-arid area of Oldonyiro Division in Isiolo County.

Akolom Samual Esiokon

  • Chemistry, University of Nairobi, graduated 2018
  • Water Project: Improved water availability through solar and wind power
  • Lokichar –Kapese sub location in Turkana County
  • Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

akolomsamSamual was born into a nomadic life in northern Kenya. His parents are nomadic pastoralists and move throughout Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu county. They did not believe in education, so Samual bravely took it upon himself to go away to a boarding school and worked as a custodian to support his education, room and board. His PATHWAYS project is a hotel with proceeds used for support and mentor students.

Samual says, “My colleagues (fellow students) nicknamed me ‘Mboch wa chuo’, mboch, meaning school maid. It was so much embarrassing but I had no option. It was the only hope for my education to continue.”

Isaac Obago

  • Education, University of Nairobi, graduated 2018
  • Youth Project: Funding education through sales from crops
  • Kakamega
  • Mentor:  Catherine Kaimenyi
    obagoIsaac comes from a family of 9 children and was raised in a children’s home. He was only able to make it through high school through the donations of well-wishers, because of his high grades, and through sheer persistence when the funding from the well-wishers was discontinued. Isaac is studying education at the University of Nairobi. His PATHWAYS project focuses on planting crops with the proceeds of the sales going to provide school fees to children in need. Isaac says, “Despite the ups and downs in my schooling, I never gave up. I am sure I have a story to tell the world. I learned that once a leader is born, he/she has to put it into practice”.