Below is a first hand account of our first  child to attend the University, Narshion, and what took place to make it happen. This is the first post in our Meet the Kids series. We will pick from our number of children that are sponsored at our schools and tell you more about them. Keep checking back for more updates. The following is only part of the complete story, to read the story in its entirety click here.

“In Africa, particularly native Kenya, in the villages, the sunrise each morning is welcomed by wails and cries of children, wondering domestic poultry and mostly worried mothers and fathers preparing to face the challenges of the day. This menace, the equivalence of the modern society’s morning rush, has very devastating effects. It concludes with most of the children in the playing fields and whereabouts swallowed by the comforts of hand-made mud huts and vast green vegetation in the glittering day light. It’s not that there are no schools. Many a times, the single mothers, unemployed fathers, uncles, grand and great parents can only afford a fist-size token of staple food Ugali and tasteless but vitamin friendly vegetables. The cost of education is beyond their reach and due to this; they make ‘life comfortable’ at the level of their ability. It was in this menace that the SCA (Educate the Kids) charity picked me up.…

My mother had struggled to put me to school. She was single, working at other peoples’ farms for a fee but mostly relied on selling cheap local brew at our hut. Being the last born, I suffered most at the expense of my brother and sister. I spent weeks at home to pave way for my siblings to attend school as ‘I was youngest’. My fellow boys (who went to school) would pass by our home in the evening and through them I would know what was taught at school that day. During the day, I used to be with my mother; assisting her in her odd jobs: making thatching materials (makuti), collecting firewood for sale, and of cause preparing the local brew for drunkards who came in the evenings.…

One morning when I was in primary seven (standard seven), two English ladies came to our class. I had gone to school that day. The headmaster told us that they were going to select children to pay fees for (sponsor). I was among the selected as the whole school knew of my dilemmas.…

At form four, the final year in secondary, I lost both of my parents. They died in a span of two months; my Father in April and my Mother in June. I was disoriented as I had spent weeks nursing them. It was not until July when I settled from the funerals. Time had moved and I was left with less than two months to start the final exams. I knew my mother was no longer with me and had no one apart from my jobless brother and the books! I was now an orphan. I had nothing to inherit. In fact, my third term fees were spent during the funerals. Madam Maureen had to send other monies for fees. When the results were announced in the New Year, I had passed very well, with a B+ qualifying me for University education. I cried with joy.…

Today, I am an orphan but a happy one. When the sun rises, I no longer cry (as I used to when everyone was going to school except me). There is no one who worries about my challenges of the day (save it for Maureen who is there for me). I am in the university pursuing Bachelor of Science in Information and Communication Technology & Management. I opt to specialize in Software Engineering. I am going to be a Programmer, a Systems analyst and an ICT consultant whichever pleases my choices. This is the bright future I dreamed of when I used to read borrowed notes from friends as I couldn’t afford to be in class.…

I am the first product of SCA charity. All the parents, teachers and students in the village see in me a great hope, their future leader and most important a living success of the vision and mission of the charity that they all hold dear. Believe me, I am just the first. When I look behind me, I see countless boys and girls with intellectual abilities far greater than mine. All these are in the hands of the charity – SCA (Educate the kids). They work hard because they know someone out there is sacrificing to pay for their fees. They have hopes of tomorrow because they know they are being enlightened by an education.”

To read the complete story, click here.