Empowering 37 Orphans Through Education in Kenya

My name is Kimeu, born in 1996 in an area called Lower Yatta, Kwa Mutonga Village in a family of two children and two parents.   My family was doing well since my parents would be able to cater for my needs and that of my younger sister.    We lived with my grandparents and my father’s siblings in the same farm even though each family was allocated a portion of the farm.  My parents were very hard working and since they had fewer children, it was easy for them to cater for their family, unlike his siblings who had many children.  When I was of age, my parents enrolled me in a school nearby while my sister stayed at home.  I worked hard in my studies and dreamt of becoming a doctor.  When my sister was of age she also joined me in school.  Whenever we were playing at home I always used to pretend to be a doctor and my sister was always the patient.  I was really nice at being a “pretend doctor”.    Life was good and we never lacked. 

However, in 2007 things started to take a wrong turn because my mother started ailing.  My father used to take her to hospital, but she never improved.  I think my father despaired and left saying he was going to a nearby town to look for work so that he could be able to pay for my mother’s treatment.  We were left with our sick mum who encouraged us by saying she was going to get better.  She tried to look after us but eventually she was totally bedridden.  With our dad gone we depended on the kindness of our uncles and aunts for food.  Since their lives were hard, it was very difficult for them to support us.  I eventually quit school to look after my mother and sister.  I was in class four while my sister was in class one.  I used to fetch water and firewood for people so that I got a little money to buy food.   Towards the end of 2007 we received a call that my father was involved in a hit and run accident and he died before he arrived in hospital. It was devastating especially for my mother who did not understand why her husband abandoned her in her hour of need.  He was buried on our farm with the help of my grandparents and his siblings.  After the funeral my mother was very sad and she cried often.  I think she went into a depression because she had mood swings.  I think she was worried that once she died, there would be no one to care for us.  Some days she was unkind to us and other days she was so loving.  It was very confusing.  At the beginning of 2008 I tried to wake her up, but she did not acknowledge my presence. I covered her and thought she was in a deep sleep.  After going out to look for a little money for food I came back and found that she was still sleeping.  After trying to wake her again and she did not respond, I decided to go tell our grandmother that mother was refusing to wake up.  She accompanied me back to the house and then I heard her screaming.  When the neighbors came she informed them that my mother had died.  My sister and I cried so much because we did not know what would happen to us. My mother was buried next to our father.  She died a bitter woman because she could not understand why her husband would abandon the family only to return in a coffin.

We moved in with our grandparents who were equally poor.  Since they were advanced in age, it was difficult for them to do hard labour or get employment.  Food became our daily struggle.  Some days we had food and other days we had nothing.  My grandfather enrolled us in a government school nearby, but he had difficulty buying uniforms and paying the little school fees required.  One of my uncles was very kind, so he bought my sister and me one uniform each, which we washed at night and wore in the morning.  With time the uniform became tattered but we continued mending it and some children would laugh at us because we were wearing a uniform that looked like rags.  I was on the verge of dropping out of school in April 2010 because of lack of fees and hunger pangs when a new beam of light was shone on my path.  Members of a nearby church learnt about our plight and reported to Nyumbani Village that there were two destitute children who needed urgent assistance.  One Saturday morning, we received a visit from staff from Nyumbani Village.  We did not know why they came but we later learnt that they were social workers who had come to assess our situation.  I remember that Saturday vividly because they brought food and for the first time in a long time we ate bread and it felt like heaven.  After discussing with my grandparents, they promised to visit again.  Life was a bit better because we had something to eat from their visit.  Two weeks later, they came back and explained to us that my sister and I were being taken to a new school called Hotcourses Primary and it was a boarding, so we would not be coming home every day.  They also promised that our needs would be taken care of and all we needed to do was concentrate on our studies.  It was like a dream when we arrived in this beautiful place called Nyumbani Village.  The ambience was great and the people very warm and welcoming.  I was happy when we were allocated a beautiful house that had 8 other children and a grandparent and we were informed that this was our new home.  On Monday I was taken to a nice school in the compound called Hotcourses and I joined class six.  I was behind in my studies, but the teachers were willing to put in extra time to ensure that I caught up with other students since I had missed so much.  I struggled at the beginning, but I worked tireless until I was on par with the other students.  The fact that I had food, a warm bed, and I did not have to worry about basic needs gave me the grace to work hard.  In the year 2012 I did my end of primary school examination. I then joined Form 1 in Lawson High School which is also on the compound.  The school provided us with enough learning materials.  It also gave us an opportunity to be involved in various life skill programs and the sports activities were great.  I finished my end of high school exams in November 2016.   In September 2017 I joined Thika Technical Training Institute for higher learning where I am currently pursuing a certificate in Agriculture. I think my struggles in my village informed the decision for me to do an agriculture related course so that I can assist farmers who have land but are poor due to farming methods. 

When I look back at my path, if it was not for the support of Nyumbani Village, I do not know what would have happened to two orphaned children, my sister and I, who had lost hope.   This opportunity afforded to me has gone a long way in equalizing me, a child from a very humble background, with others my age.  I now know that when God took my parents, he sent his angels through GlobalGiving and Nyumbani Village to care for me.  I am doing the best that I can, and I know I can be what I want to be.  May our God who is never outdone in blessings bless each and everyone of you for the difference your contributions are making in the life of children like me.