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2008 Conference, Heron Hotel, Nairobi Kenya

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Our 2008 mid-year conference was delayed then cancelled due to the political turmoil that erupted after the 2007 presidential elections. Thankfully, all of our PATHWAYS scholars and their families survived the disturbances.

2008 ConferenceWe combined the mid-year conference and the annual conference by having an all day meeting with break out discussion sessions, presentations, and planning for the annual project proposals due May 30. Dr. Mbaabu Mathiu, our vice president in Kenya, and Deb Gust, President, were in attendance along with the PATHWAYS scholars.

One of the ideas put forth by Dr. Mathiu is the establishment of a common community project that would be worked on by all of the PATHWAYS scholars in addition to their individual community projects. The focus of the first project will be peace and reconciliation in the aftermath of the 2007 election turmoil and displacements. Other plans for the coming year include

  • quarterly meetings focusing on capacity building and
  • monthly postings to a group e-mail or blog regarding project progress and other relevant issues.

Because the PATHWAYS program is about empowering youth to become leaders, we asked the scholars to discuss several issues concerning the improvement of the PATHWAYS program in Kenya including ideas to better communicate to donors how their money is being used; ways to improve the cohesion of the scholars; and where PATHWAYS will be in five years. This activity allowed the scholars to discuss in small groups their ideas to improve PATHWAYS and outline its direction in the future.

One of the ideas they discussed is their own sponsoring of scholars when they graduate and obtain employment. This was deemed a good way of keeping scholars engaged in PATHWAYS and taking ownership of the future of the organization.

This year we gave out two awards: “Scholar of the Year 2007” and “Most Improved 2007”. We were happy to award Isaac Ngere the PATHWAYS Scholar of the Year 2007 award for his excellence in academics, his self sustaining orphanage community project development, and his assistance in implementing and expanding the PATHWAYS mission.

Lily Chepkorir received the PATHWAYS Most Improved 2007 award for her rapid progress in implementing and sustaining her bee hive and tree nursery projects in her community. Each came with a small monetary award.

The scholars’ presentations showed the thought and work they have put into their projects in addition to keeping up with their academic demands. The community projects require that the scholars work with 2008 Conference
other members of their communities and sometimes local politicians and  officials  to plan and carry out their ideas.

Nafisa Ayuka

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nafisa

  • Bachelors of Education, University of Nairobi, graduated 2011
  • Hygiene and Economic Project: sanitary towels for adolescent girls and sewing training for women
  • Matsigulu Village
  • Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

Nafisa is from a one-parent family with 7 brothers and sisters, being the only one able to complete secondary school. Nafisa’s project involved women and girls in her village. The women were taught to sew on sewing machines and concentrated on making children’s clothes and school uniforms. Women also learned to tend goats and sell the goat milk and to keep poultry and sell the poultry products. From 2008 to 2012, the average monthly income of the women increased from 0 to average of $6.50 and they invested an average of 20% of their income back into the project.Their increased income helps them pay their children’s school fees. In addition, young girls were taught to make reusable sanitary towels and share them with other girls. All girls reduced the number of school days they missed due to their periods each month from an average of 3-4 days to 1-2 days.
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David Mundia

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David Mundia

  • Bachelors of Dental Surgery, University of Nairobi, graduated 2011
  • Educational Development Project: Tutoring youth and women’s economics in the Korogocho slum
  • Nairobi
  • Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

David is from a one parent family (mother). However, his mother was sick so he was taken in by his aunt who lives in a small house in Korogocho, one of the slum areas in Nairobi. David says he owes a lot to his aunt and acknowledges that were it not for her, he could be a street child in the slum, involved in drugs, just like some of his age-mates. David’s experiences motivated him to help street children. His project focused on tutoring 60 students from the Korogocho slum area. Of 39 students who were tutored and took the high school entry exam, 26 passed and went on to high school. David provided a space for the tutoring, 6 tables, 12 benches, 10 test prep books for exams, and 2 dictionaries. At his graduation, these educational resources were turned over to a neighborhood school for their use in continuing the tutoring project. Continue reading →

Noah Kanda

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Noah Kanda

  • Bachelors of Education, University of Nairobi, graduated 2011
  • Conservation Project: Tree nursery to help prevent soil erosion and provide water catchment areas
  • Tuturung Village
  • Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

Noah’s childhood was disrupted by tribal clashes. He says that the hardship he went through created a drive in him of wanting to unite his peers into a youth group, and come up with ways in which they can be self-reliant and also help their community. Continue reading →