Bringing Hope for High School Graduates

Douglas

Our alumnus Douglas is a rising star. He is an auditor at giant Kenya Medical Services Authority (KEMSA). Paula sponsored the 24-year-old confident yet soft-spoken Douglas through high school.  Although Douglas didn’t score well enough on his exit exam to join a four-year college after 12thgrade, he was skilled in Mathematics and pursued a CPA course. He completed the course in record time. Thanks to the additional support from Pathway Christian Church, Douglas decided to continue his education with a college degree program. He is now is in his final year of college completing a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Finance Option and hopes to pursue an MBA in Finance soon. Like many Tumaini Alums, he wants to work with other needy children and their families giving back to his community.

I visited Douglas in his office two weeks ago where he took me on a tour of the massive facility. He could not stop talking about his gratitude to his sponsors. While I was there, I also had an opportunity to meet two of his supervisors and was truly blessed to hear them talk so highly of Douglas' positive contribution to the agency, especially his exemplary work ethic. As he shares in this short video clip, Douglas truly represents those who have found hope through sponsorship and is a tribute to your generosity.

As we celebrate Douglas’s success story, I am reminded of the growing need to empower more high school graduates.  Every year there is an average of 60 students graduating and aging out of the Tumaini program who need a hand-up like Douglas. We believe that completing 12th grade should not be the end of their educational and career dreams. 

Due to the Kenyan educational system, only about a third of these high school graduates score well enough to join four-year degree program.  Another third perform well enough to pursue a trade similar to Douglas if funds are available. The remaining one third has to settle for vocational training or look for other jobs which are scarce.