Lydia, a Call Center Attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited is Looking Ahead to Graduate School

A Chinese proverb states “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step”. This is the story of Lydia, she could not imagine that she would be a college graduate.

Lydia’s journey has not been easy. She lived with her mother and younger brother. Lydia attended a community primary public school every morning, without any hope of transferring to a secondary school. The life she finds herself living now was beyond the realm of her wildest dreams.

Thanks to Friends of Ngong Road and Ngong Road Children’s Foundation, she was paired with a sponsor who was instrumental in her success. The program fully paid her school fees from primary school through university, including necessary school supplies. This generous support made her work even harder to achieve good grades. 

At 23 years old she prides herself not just for having attained a BS in Economics and Finance but also for being among the few girls in her neighborhood that have transformed their life in this way. Her transformational journey has just started as Lydia now works as a call center attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited, a fiber optic company. Her future aspirations include earning a master’s degree so she can pursue better job opportunities.

Bernard works as an Operations Associate at Karibu Loo Limited.

Bernard is one of our graduates who currently works at Karibu Loo Limited as an Operations Associate, after completing a driving course. He is grateful for how far he has come and is now on the right path to transforming his life. His story is that of persistence and demonstrating a spirit of not giving up. 

He was raised by his aunt, since his mother was in poor health, which made it impossible for her to be involved in his upbringing. Unlike many children, he had a lot of challenges which caused him to enroll in school at an older age than normal.

His family situation affected his academics and like most teens, he had his own challenges. But he never gave up and finished high school with the support of his sponsor and program staff. He even became the school president while in high school.

Bernard says, “Learning to have that persistence, letting my ego down a bit, and asking for help is what has made me come this far. Thanks to everyone who helped me through school.”

Brian works as a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited.

Our program’s support has transformed Brian’s life, making him one of our recent graduates. His story is one that will be told for generations to come in his family. Brian has utilized his experiences as a stepping stone to overcome challenges and achieve success in life. He lived with his grandparents. Early on, he recognized importance of taking school seriously to escape his deteriorating living situation and assist his aging grandparents.

While he was sponsored,​ he gained various skills that helped him develop as a whole person. The life skills learned during school holidays and at camp encourage him to pursue leadership roles in both secondary and post-secondary school. The computer skills he developed through our program have been essential in his journey to acquiring a job. He completed his diploma in Entrepreneurship Development from The Eldoret Polytechnic. Currently works as a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited. In just a month, he grasps marketing insights and manages client queries, showcasing remarkable proficiency and swift adaptation.

Transformative education improved his life, cultivating gratitude and a future aspiration to aid others on their educational journey.

Brian shared, “Success favors those who fail till they succeed and never let challenges be a stumbling block rather let them be opportunities for growth.”