From packaging kid to manager with PhD

From packaging kid to manager with PhD

The extraordinary tale of 39-year-old Kenneth Okoth, who had been orphaned as being a boy that is young. Together with it maybe perhaps not been for kind-hearted family relations, he’s certain he would be destitute.

“I became created in Homa Bay County in 1980 — i’m a firstborn in a family group of three children. We had been bad, my moms and dads struggled to coach us and offer for the other requirements. My dad had been an electrician while my mom plaited locks for an income.

We all packed our belongings and moved to Nairobi, where my parents hoped to make a better living when I was in primary school. We got a homely home, (an area become particular) in Dandora Phase Four and I also joined up with Tom Mboya main School, a hiking distance from our home.

Regrettably, the enhanced livelihood my moms and dads had been trying to find did not materialise. If any such thing, life ended up being more challenging right right here, therefore we all trooped back once again to the town.

My moms and dads had been nonetheless determined to coach me personally, and so they enrolled me personally in the Kamolo Primary that is nearby class. I happened to be in Class Two then.

In August 1995, before We sat for my Kenya certification of main School examinations (KCPE), my mom passed away.

Her death spelt doom over my loved ones because she was in fact the breadwinner. I became devastated by her death, and my hope of joining additional college faded away.

Hard-hit by my mum’s death, I didn’t perform also I had anticipated, handling 380 markings out from the possible 700.

Fortunately, my aunts Abigael Akoko and also the Elizabeth that is late Ouma in addition to a relative, Charles Akal, paid my college costs at Dandora Secondary class in Nairobi.

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Being fully a scholar, i lived with my aunt abigael, her husband and their son day. After college when you look at the I would assist her to sell fish and do house work evening.

I stood away within my brand new college, determined to perform well in my own studies and head to college.

Whilst in Form Three, I happened to be appointed class prefect, when i got eventually to Form Four, I became appointed head kid and seat regarding the Science Club.

In 1999, just before I sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations (KCSE), my father died august.

Exactly like my mother’s death, my father’s death disoriented me. My siblings and I also had been now orphans, forcing our family members to simply take us in.

We finished up being separated, coping with various loved ones. We finished school that is high but to my dissatisfaction, handled grade C, meaning I could maybe maybe maybe not study medication, when I had hoped.

I happened to be sure this will be the termination of my training plus the end of my long-held fantasy to finish the period of poverty within my household.

Nonetheless, something compelled me to keep working, not to ever call it quits.

We consequently desired work during the defunct Jack & Jill Supermarket, the popular supermarket that ended up being situated near OTC in Nairobi’s central business district (CBD).

I became used being a packaging kid, making Sh200 a day, element of that I faithfully conserved for eight months, putting apart sufficient to spend initial college costs at Nairobi Technical Training Institute in Pangani, where We learned a certificate program in medical laboratory technology.

It assisted that I became nevertheless coping with my aunt. I might work through the time and go to classes later in the day.

We proceeded saving, as soon as We finished this course 2 yrs later on, We joined up with Technical University of Kenya (TUK) for a diploma when you look at the exact same program.

For this right time, i came across another job at then-East Africa Industries (EAI), now Unilever East Africa — my task would be to pack Vaseline Jelly.

In 2006, We desired attachment at a facility that is medical health Diagnostic Centre, positioned at Re-Insurance Plaza in Nairobi’s CBD.

My boss, the belated Hannington Pamba, will need to have noticed my intense need to learn because he took me personally under their wing and mentored me personally.

A later, he invited me to join his NGO, International Friends of Children Healthcare Organisation (IFCHO), which was located near Adams Arcade, on Ngong Road year.

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