Chandaria Scholarship made me concentrate on my studies
August 4, 2024
Hope in the midst of despair
August 4, 2024
Esther Njeri, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science at Kenyatta University.
I want my mother to look back and say,” Yes, I contributed to her success!”
“My mom, Margaret Wamaitha Njuguna, you are my role model. I admire your strength, determination, resilience and your ‘I can do it attitude’.” These are the words of 19-year-old Esther Njeri, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science at Kenyatta University.
You see, Esther and her mother Ms. Wamaitha, have come a long way. After sitting the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at Kabiria Primary School, in 2017, Esther scored 403 marks and was invited to join Mary Hill Girls High School. This brought her immense joy as it had always been her dream to attend this school.
Her mother advised her not to worry about the school fees, emphasizing that dedication to her studies was the key if that was the school, she so passionately desired to attend. “Even though I hadn’t applied for any scholarships, she assured me that she would make my dream of attending Mary Hill girls High School a reality”.
Determined, Ms. Wamaitha who was a casual labourer working as a cleaner at Lenana School kept her word. She secured loans from women savings groups and that is how Esther joined Form One. “She struggled to raise school fees for the three school terms, loan after loan.”
The fifth-born in a family of seven, Esther grew up in Lenana in Dagoretti North Constituency, Nairobi County. Her father was also a casual labourer, painting buildings in the city. So, the family was always trying to make ends meet. “There were periods I was faced with some challenges with school fees”, Esther shares.
It was during her second year in Form Two that her mother received information from a neighbor. They learned that the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF), in collaboration with the Chandaria Foundation, was running the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship Programme. This initiative aims to extend partial scholarship grants to students hailing from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with support throughout their secondary school education.
“She enquired and we were invited for an interview. I was successful and was awarded the Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship in collaboration with KCDF. I felt so relieved, but more so my mother because she was the one who was shouldering the weight of the loans.”
I was happy because I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about being sent home due to unpaid school fees, she says. The scholarship also boosted her motivation. “I did not want to disappoint my sponsor, considering that they were catering for my school fees. I had to really work hard, and this kept me accountable all through.”
The Chandaria Foundation Education Scholarship places a strong emphasis on academic performance. The young scholars who benefit from this scholarship make it a priority to maintain regular communication with their sponsors. They not only write to their sponsors as frequently as possible but, most importantly, at the conclusion of each academic year. These letters are typically accompanied by their academic reports, allowing them to showcase their progress and achievements.
On a Pedestal
For Esther, this written letter continuously set her on a pedestal. “This written letter is the one that kept me awake while other students were asleep. You see, you write to your sponsor what you have attained at the end your grades. There is this push to excel so that the next time you write to them they can also be excited and encouraged to keep supporting you.”The efforts bore fruit when in 2021 she sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
examinations and attained a B+ mean grade. This saw her get admission to Kenyatta University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science.
I have always had a fascination with cars and a genuine passion for automotive engineering. So, initially, I was quite disappointed when I realized that my academic path was leading me towards something entirely different. I had zero knowledge about Actuarial Science, and it wasn’t an area I had ever considered. However, the government had directed me towards this field, and I decided to explore it.
When I checked the salary prospects for actuaries, I thought, “Well, let me give it a shot.” This curiosity prompted me to delve deeper into Actuarial Science, to understand what it was all about. As I learned more, I found myself increasingly intrigued and ultimately decided to embrace this field.
She still wants to pursue her passion in automotive engineering. “I made a conscious decision to first complete my degree in Actuarial Science. My plan is to enter the workforce and gain some experience. Then, once I’m established in my career, I intend to find the time and resources to follow my passion for Automotive Engineering. The world of automotive technology holds a special place in my heart”.
She has recently completed her first year of studies and is currently enjoying a lengthy break that extends until September 2023, when she will begin her second year. During this break, she is making productive use of her time having enrolled in computer classes.
Ms. Wamaitha has religiously kept her promise to support her daughter in her pursuit for education, and has been paying for her university fees in bits. “The first semester she paid Sh.23,000 and in the second semester she paid Sh.18,000. She is still loaning from the women savings groups.”
She has been very determined. “She sells sweet potatoes and arrow roots to generate some.
Extra money to cater for my meals and utilities. She made it happen and she is still making it happen for me.”
Mary Hill Girls High School was her dream school and she enjoyed every bit of her high school stay. “I participated in the music class where I was performing choral verses. While in Form Two, my team went up to the national levels and we were the champions.”
Respect Myself for whom I have Become
In the near future, Esther says that she aspires to live a comfortable life and to show her mother the other side of life which is luxurious, away from the daily struggles that she has been accustomed to. “I also want to look at myself, the far that I have come and respect myself for who I am, who I have become, the person that I am.”
She also has a little girlie dream; “I want to have the ability to purchase the things I desire without constantly worrying about the price. It’s a simple yet meaningful aspiration for me.”
Her biggest motivation is to not disappoint her mother, she says, the reason she is pursuing the Actuarial Science degree. “I want to make her proud. I want my mother to look back and say, that’s my girl! I did this. Yes, I made it happen!”
The scholarship opportunity, she says, has really taught her that there are still some good people out there. “That, people are ready to help and that as human beings we owe it to ourselves to help each other. I am very grateful. It would have been rough if I did not get this scholarship.”
She is advising other young people to give what they do their best shot, even if they do not like it.“Avoid any future regrets by doing your best today.
Her sisters, she says, have attained college education. “My elder sister finished college recently, she studied accounting and is now working at the Kenya Coach Industries (KCI). My younger sister is doing CPA, and my brother has studied up to Form Four.”
