Education Kenya Project #34160

Provide Kenyan students university education

by UMOJA PARTNERSHIP, INC.

Provide Kenyan students university education

Project Report | May 11, 2020
COVId19 puts Universities on Hold

By Denise Soltis | Executive Director

Corona Virus Update May 11, 2020

As the Corona Virus has spread around the globe, Kenya is no exception. On March 16th, 2020 the government closed primary and secondary schools. Colleges and universities also closed soon after. There are some programs that are continuing work digitally but it is a challenge for most pupils due to lack access to computers and internet services. The social distancing measure have paid off for Kenya, keeping numbers fairly low. The challenge of not being able to work has really become preventing starvation. Umoja has been raising funds for Emergency Food support for our beneficiaries to help them get through until life returns to normal. For now, the world waits to re-open.

Still, we celebrate our past successes and dream of the future.

Meet Stephen who graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Chemical and Processing Engineering, first class honors from Technical University of Nairobi

Stephen is a 2012 graduate of Ogada Secondary School.

Following his graduation, he wrote to Umoja:

Melody Beattie once quoted that, "Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home and an enemy into a friend." This is what UMOJA means and has done to me. Without UMOJA, an Engineer would not have come out of me. UMOJA has made me a role model to many and a record breaker in all my endeavors (the first and only A plain in my former high school, and among the first to attain first class honours in Chemical Engineering in my University). UMOJA created competence in me and any employer I've met in an interview has been impressed with me (I did 3 interviews in January and I emerged successful in all). Actually, the little food I had on my table back in the year 2008, just after KCPE is now a feast. THANK YOU UMOJA.

Stephen has already received a position with JK Cement and a part time position with the university. He has also received a scholarship for graduate studies.

Congratulations, Stephen -- we are so proud of all that you have accomplished and can't wait to see where you go next!

Stephen at Graduation

Permalink

Dec 9, 2019
Irene Graduates

By Celia Booher | Communications Director

Sep 13, 2019
Tobias makes us proud

By Denise Soltis | Executive Director

Tobias receives a gift

During my most recent visit to Kenya in August, I was able to meet Tobias. My task was to deliver a graduation gift from a family back here in Indiana. I was astounded by his story. Leonard, our in country director and I encouraged him to come and visit our Boys Empowerment Senior Retreat to be held the following week. What he shared during that retreat was even more motivating and inspiring, not only to the boys of the Umoja Project but to me. Read Tobias' story below and see why he makes the Umoja Project proud!

Tobias lost his mother in 1996 when he was just five years old, and then his dad in 2001. He was taken in by what he calls different "Wellwishers" who helped him get through school. What he does not say is that he "lost" a number of those guardians, too.

He went to Mbaka Oroma Primary School and then proceeded to Kuoyo Mixed Secondary School. Umoja was just starting back then, and we were not yet supporting him in secondary school. A couple weeks after he started Form 1, Tobias was sent home for not having his school fees. He came back just two weeks before exams began and took the exams with his classmates. He placed 5th in his class.

He shared his story at the BET UP retreat during the session on grief. He told his younger "siblings" that he borrowed books and notes from his friends that were in school and studied on his own. We was taken up by the Umoja Project during Form 2. He was a prefect, the school captain, and head of the student Umoja group.

After secondary school, Tobias went on to Jaramondi Odinga Odinga University and earned a Bachelor degree in business administration and finance. He worked during university at Airtel, and it was his work during that time that enabled him to get his first position at Agrovet Cooperative Bank after graduating. He serves as a sales executive giving loans, providing credit management, and onboarding new customers. Tobias hopes to move up soon when there is an opening for the next level position. He is making sure that he is doing everything he can to earn that promotion by smashing the goals that the company sets for him, consistently placing in the top 10 employees nationally for the company.

In the meantime, he is running an M-Pesa kiosk and an egg business. He is saving to buy land of his own and build a house.

Tobias says, "I want the people back in Indiana to know that I am grateful for the support. The Umoja Project helped me in ways that I can not fully express. It is my hope that the Umoja Project can rise to new levels. I am ready to help on this side to make it possible."

Leonard says, "Tobias will always strive for perfection whatever you give him to do."

Thank you for supporting the Umoja Project! It is your support that makes success like Tobias come true!

Tobias and Leonard

Permalink

1 2 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.