Dreaming Beyond Boundaries: A story of Courage and Ambition

Ezekiel’s pursuit of knowledge began at the age of six when he enrolled at St. John’s Non-Formal Primary School, driven by a strong desire to learn. Despite being the youngest and shortest in his class, he quickly rose to become one of the top students. “We were competing with my friends to be the best student in class because the top student would be rewarded with books, and books were not easy to come by since my mum is a single mother and had to take care of me and my other six siblings without a well-paying job,” he reminisced.

In addition to his academic excellence, Ezekiel actively participated in the school’s drama club, which not only boosted his confidence but also allowed him to explore and express his creativity. “The drama club gave me confidence; there we would tell stories like the one about Job and Abraham with Madam Sally. She nurtured us to express ourselves creatively,” he remembered fondly.

Ezekiel’s achievements reached new heights when he represented his school in Zambia for an exchange program, showcasing his commitment to expanding his horizons.

At the time, St. John’s Non-Formal Primary School only went up to class seven. Ezekiel did not let it hinder his dreams. He transitioned to Bahati Primary School to sit for his final primary exams, where he emerged as the top student and earned the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation scholarship, which enabled him to join Aquinas Boys High School.

Despite the demands of high school, Ezekiel remained connected to his roots and volunteered at St. John’s Community Centre during holidays, contributing to various projects, including teaching arts and drama. Due to his dedication to both academics and community service, he received an opportunity for an exchange program through Drammen School in Norway.

“My high school teachers allowed me to participate in the month-long exchange program in Norway, I got to see and experience a different culture, interact with other peers; the exchange program challenged me to continue working hard in school,” he said.

With the support of Drammen school, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in statistics at Karatina University. “Throughout my academic journey, God sent me guardian angels who pushed me to the next level,” he said.

The partnership between St Johns community Centre and Drammen has changed the lives of over 1000 students for more than a decade, granting them scholarships for secondary and tertiary education.

Throughout campus long holidays, Ezekiel still came back to St. John’s Community Centre to give back to the community by volunteering in various projects. “I consider myself a son of St. John’s Community Centre, and because someone at some point came to stand with me, I also wanted to serve others in the community.”

After completing his university education, Ezekiel was hired to work as a monitoring and evaluation officer in the youth advocacy program at that time. Today, he continues his mission as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in the Together for Safe Children program.

The Together for Safe Children program is a transformative program dedicated to enhancing child protection systems in the Embul-bul and Mathare informal settlements. The program’s primary goal is to establish robust child protection mechanisms capable of upholding children’s rights, effectively identifying and addressing child rights violations, and fostering a secure environment within the community.

“I am also grateful to SJCC because they gave me a chance when I was just six years old, and to date, the organization remains a pillar of hope in my life. They gave me a strong foundation that is still anchoring me to date. Words can’t describe how grateful I am,” said Ezekiel.