Chandaria Scholarship: Florence Katunge Mutua

Born and raised from a very small village in Machakos County, a place called Muthembwa village. “I have three siblings – two sisters and one brother. My parents are farmers in that desert area as it receives very little rains. My parents have always been farmers. They really struggled to pay my school fees through primary school. But, I worked hard and scored 359 marks and was lucky enough to be sponsored by the Chandaria Foundation through my high school. Were it not for the scholarship opportunity, I do not know what I would have done in terms of pursuing my education. I probably would have stayed at home and worked in the farms like my parents.”

I got an A- in my KCSE and was admitted to the University of Nairobi to do a Bachelor of Science in Statistics. My mother has struggled to see me through to this stage of my life and I am so grateful for what she has done, but also KCDF through the education scholarship has done more than I could ever imagine possible by lifting me from the very low depths. I want to finish school and work in the private sector and then perhaps run my own business. Because I have been assisted a lot in my journey, I have purposed to also help others like me, girls in poor villages who might not have the opportunities to make something of their lives. You know, in our village, most of my classmates are married. They have children. They now look like they are 50-years old. It is sad when you think about it; young girls opting for marriage because of lack of education opportunities. However, some of them actually come from well off families, but it’s just a bad culture that they are following where marriage seems like the only step to make.

When I go back to my village I speak to the girls there. I tell them “that it’s possible. It can be done. I did it. Believe in yourself, be strong, don’t stop.”