Forging ahead
by Emmanuel George Omiro
Life at times can be sweet with all the pleasures of the world but at the same time it can be bitter just like a two-edged sword cutting back and forth without no mercy!
This is the story of my life; born in Kenya in a small town in Kapenguria. All was well until December of 2002 when my Dad, the soul breadwinner of my family lost his job as an accountant. Life was never the same again. Living in a third world country with jobless parents isn’t something that any child would ever dream of! These came with myriads of challenges. With many mouths to feed and family to fend for, I became a victim of circumstance as my academic life was crippled and jeopardized by the fact that my father couldn’t afford to pay for my primary school fees. Many a times I found myself on the move as I kept being sent home now and again for school fees thereby losing many academic hours at home. My primary school education wasn’t a walk in the park. We used to walk for several kilometers with my siblings every Saturday to visit the public library in a bid to compensate for the academic time lost at home. My love for reading books and novels started to develop at that young age of 10 years. What amazed my teachers was the fact that even after all the struggles and the challenges I went through I still emerged to be the best student in my class.
They say lack is when opportunity meets preparation! My parents were contacted by the headteacher of the school and got informed about an organization looking for bright and needy students. Hope at last! Within a span of two weeks, I got enrolled to the Royal Kids School in Mombasa for free! It was such a God given chance that I never saw it coming! My thirst for reading, to learn and desire for excellence came to pass. A big thanks goes to e3kids international because by then, they had funded and donated books to the school library. We were privileged to be the pioneers of enjoying the library services under the tutelage of Mrs. Brenda Storms who had visited the school with a team in 2012. This was just but the tip of the iceberg, upon completion of my primary level education, I got a chance to join one of the best high school in Kenya, Maranda High School. e3kids international came in hand and facilitated my high school education by providing for my academic materials, course books, shopping for my boarding school and all the material needs until the time I graduated high school in 2016. At the moment, I am a first year student pursuing a degree in Bachelor of commerce at The University of Nairobi, courtesy of e3kids international by funding my tuition fee, accommodation and upkeep.
The impact of e3kids international in my life isn’t just for the education nor the help: it goes beyond and deeper than what meets the eye. They made me to realize my full potential, capability the will power and spirit to forge ahead and achieve my goals. I am so grateful that I got a chance to volunteer as a library assistant in the Royal Kids School in 2017 and getting to meet different people from e3kids international who molded my character for the last six years. I also gained leadership skills from my experience in the library work.
Even as I conclude, I must say it has been six years of great experience with e3kids international and many more opportunities to come. Let’s all make the world a better place by helping the less privileged and bright needy students to realize their dreams and get to live a purpose filled life. It all begins with you and me to reach out to the entire world. Let us all make this happen.
