TIES Kenya University Scholarships Project

Hello from TIES Kenya. We are happy to report we welcomed four additional girls to the TIES Kenya family between August and December 2023. This was made posssible with funding from TIES Canada, our parent organization. A big thanks to all who donate and support our cause and work. The girls are from different backgrounds and parts of Kenya, which aligns with our vision to be as inclusive and diverse in nature as possible. 

Anifa is from Kakamega in the western part of the country and is pursuing a degree in Computer science at Meru university many many miles from her hometown! Noellah is an engineering first year student at the Technical University of Kenya right in the capital city Nairobi. When Philomena was referred to us, she had dropped off school after completing her first year at the Presbyterian University of East Africa in Thogoto, Kiambu county. After visiting her home in Mutuati, all the way in Meru county, it was clear that girls like her are the very reason TIESK exists. Philomena was able to resume her studies and is now in her second semester of second year, pursuing a degree in Education. Lastly we have Catherine, a nursing student at the Mount Kenya University in Thika. She too had dropped out of school after the birth of her beautiful baby girl Zawadi in 2020. We were impressed by her dedication and zeal to study, as she was working at what is referred to as a "kibandaski" in Kenya, basically a small food joint or hotel. She worked hard to save up money to at least make small payments to be able to sneak into lectures. Her resilient spirit is quite something! We are happy that she is now back in school and undertaking her clinical rotations at the Thika level 5 hospital. 

It is humbling to see the impact of our work so far; we have 11 beneficiaries now in total, being part of their journey from when they first started school, and onboarding others as continuing students. In our first physical AGM last month in January, it was a sort of full circle moment. As I listened to their stories and experiences- where they've come from, where they are at now and where they hope to be after school, is such a blessing. These are stories of coming from struggle, lack, from nothing really and now able to live a reasonably better reality, and daring to dream, to see a better future, just wow! 

Thank you everyone for supporting our work in one way or another. And a big welcome to all out here who'd like to join us. Karibu. 

Links:

• TIES University scholarship project GG page
• TIESK Project page- Website