“I couldn’t have done it alone, Tumaini held my hand, they gave me hope and today I want to say Asante [Thank you]," said Sharon, adding, “My sponsors and mentors Katharine and Chris were my biggest support system…. They have held my hand throughout this journey and I will forever be grateful. I wear the tassel with gratitude in my heart because it has been a journey that I have walked with so many people who were my support system and I would like them to know I am happy that our paths crossed because they uplifted and challenged me to be the best version of myself.”
Sharon and her siblings were sponsored in 2005 after losing their father at very tender ages. Her father was the breadwinner so when he died life became very hard for Sharon and her siblings. Their mother couldn’t meet all their needs as she was unemployed and sickly. That is when Tumaini stepped in to sponsor the children. We are grateful we did!
In a recent interview, Sharon shared a piece of her journey thus far. Referring to herself as one of the “old girls” of Tumaini, Sharon shared some of her fond memories… “I have so much to be thankful for. Every year since I was sponsored, I always looked forward to the summer camps, the gifts and home visits, as a child they gave me a chance to be a child again and not worry about where my next meal would come from and a break from manual work. The summer camps were a big deal for me, apart from the week away from home, there would be gifts for those who had performed well in school, I was among them.”
Today, Sharon’s life has taken a positive trajectory. She works as a Communication Officer at the Kenya School of Government. Sharon graduated with both a Diploma and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Mount Kenya University. Sharon is especially grateful to her mother who, unfortunately, passed away a couple of years before her graduation. Her mom had always encouraged her to complete her studies. Sharon had a glowing tribute to her sponsors, Katharine and Chris who stood with her for many years throughout her studies. Said Sharon: "They took over as my parents, my mentors, and support system. I talked to them about my fears and they always guided me…. I would wake in the middle of the night feeling overwhelmed and anxious and amazing enough Katharine would always be up, sometimes nursing the flu, or just unable to sleep and we would talk, I would share my fears and she would always listen and advise me."
The success story of Sharon is not possible without Tumaini’s partnership with Katharine and Chris. Special thank you to them! Such stories are the reason why we exist as an organization. To provide tangible hope in the name of Jesus to vulnerable children. If you are in a position to sponsor a vulnerable child, please go online, email, or call our office TODAY and get connected with a needy child.
I am forever grateful for your partnership that has produced so many success stories. Let’s keep the good work going.
Eternally grateful,
Stanley Mutunga
Covid 19 Update:
Tuesday, August 24th, 2021
We continue to see the community spread the deadly delta variant across the country.
The average positivity rate was 11.8% which is slightly lower compared to the previous week.
There were 9,388 new cases which are significantly higher compared to the previous week. The total caseload is now 230,794.
There were 214 deaths, slightly higher than the previous week. Total deaths now stand at 4,564.
Some good news! There is positive uptake of vaccines across the country. At the same time, the US government has pledged to donate approximately 3.1 million vaccines to the Kenya government, both Moderna and Pfizer types. Already 880,460 doses of Moderna vaccines arrived in the country this week!