Empowering 37 Orphans Through Education in Kenya

I am Vincent the last born in a family of eight. I was born in 1996 in a small village in, Kitui County. During the time our family was stable and my parents could comfortably provide for our needs. Shortly after in 1998 I lost both of my parents and the worst nightmare begun. I was barely two years at the commencement of the tragedy. The young and tender me was left under the care of my elder brothers who by then were teens. The rest of the relatives were least concerned about our welfare. I got to an age where I was to start school but unfortunately no one at the time would help me with my education.

Later on in the year 2006 I joined school, thank you to my distance uncle. I was late in joining school but that did not count as I had so much joy I had finally gotten an opportunity to education. As the year drew closer to an end, we got a visitor from Nyumbani village who we warmly welcomed to our iron sheet shelter that we called home, this home only had old mattresses that we would squeeze in during the night and during the day we would all go different places and try to borrow food or do manual labor and get something to bring back for the younger siblings, my uncle could only afford very little for us but all in all we were grateful for anything we got.  

We did not know the purpose of her visit but we were eager to listen to anything she had to say, the eight of us keenly listened to this well dressed lady that we could not even afford to offer a glass of water and what she said to us was the best news we had ever received. Well before the good news she had some questions for us that we innocently answered to her truly without the thought of she is a stranger crossing in our mind. Then came the good news, ‘I come from Nyumbani Village and we are an organization that helps children affected by HIV and after accessing your situation we are very sorry for what happened to you but we are pleased to inform you that you admitted to be among the nyumbani village family’ she said. Immediately she finished saying that, my siblings and I were in tears after the good news that we would finally have a home.

Few weeks later we were admitted in Nyumbani village cluster house where we found a new place to call home. It was a relief for us, i got a chance to study and realize my dreams. I went to hot courses primary and later on joined Lawson high school where I finished my secondary school education. This was like a miracle to me since I had no idea that I will one day make it to high and even finish because of the extreme poverty that was at our homestead.

Once I finished my high school education I proceeded to a technical school in the year 2018 to pursue a certificate course in electrical installation. Currently am doing my attachment in Nyumbani village with an aim to: gain practical skills, give back to the institution and also to show my brothers and sisters who are still in the home that they can realize their dreams.

I hereby express my great appreciation to the founder, partners and all the stakeholders who have in one way or another sacrificed their resources and time to ensure an orphaned and vulnerable child like me lives to achieve his dreams.