|
TEMAK Crafts
Community
Outreach
Empowerment
HIV/Aids
Holistic
Ministry
Training for
Skills
|
Carolyne Atieno Okonji:
Eager to learn, but who will pay her school fees?
“I thank God who gave me the opportunity to be at TEMAK. I count it as a
privilege,” says Carolyne Atieno Okonji, a former student at TEMAK. At
18, Carolyne is set to join high school in February 2004. Most of her
age mates are actually finishing high school. Carolyne’s life has been
remarkably tumultuous for her tender age and late schooling is a
consequence of circumstances she absolutely couldn’t control.
Despite adverse circumstances, Carolyne is a determined young woman
eager to make something of her life. In order to qualify for high
school, she had to work to pay examination fees. She had to resist
family pressure to get married. The slums where Carolyne currently calls
home are not conducive for learning but Carolyne has strived to overcome
the odds against her. Clearl
y, there’s considerable potential in this
young woman. But what’s her story?
Carolyne was born in the Kenyan town of Kisumu in 1986. She is the
second to last born in a family of six children. Some of her older
brothers and sisters are already married. Life started off without
incident and she got admitted into nursery class at the age of 4 – a
year earlier than normal. Two years later, her life’s path was derailed
by tumultuous family events. In 1992, her father married a second wife,
abandoning Carolyne’s mother with all the children. Carolyne’s mother
was running a small food kiosk which could only feed her children and
nothing more. Consequently they all dropped out of school with Carolyne
interrupting her education in class 2, at the age of six.
Carolyne was out of school for a long six years. During this period, she
would spend her time at home helping her mother with household chores.
However, her friends were advancing through the primary school system
and this motivated her to get back into schooling. Carolyne persuaded
her mother to let her return to school. In 1998, the mother finally
relented but Carolyne was to attend school at her father’s rural home
since it would be less costly there than in Kisumu town. This also meant
that Carolyne would be under the care of a step-mother while in her
father’s homestead.
A year later, in 1999, Carolyne couldn’t stand the pressure anymore.
Living with her estranged father and a step-mother proved so difficult
her desire for an education could not keep her in that homestead.
Besides, her father’s retirement from employment meant life in the other
home was very hard. Carolyne quietly sneaked away to return to the
familiar rental house of her mother in the slums of Kisumu town. Just as
the rest of the world was marking the turn of the millennium in 1999,
Carolyne joined the Church of God of Prophecy. Its here that she
accepted Jesus Christ as a personal Savior and dedicated her life in the
service of the Lord.
Early 2001, Carolyne’s Bishop got a letter from TEMAK announcing
training opportunities for Christian girls. Carolyne recalls the time:
“Before I came to TEMAK, I was training in tailoring and dressmaking.
Though I was taking this course, I was fully convinced that this was not
what I wanted to achieve in my life. As I did it, I asked God to open a
door in another place. After a few months, God answered my prayers. My
Bishop chose me to go for training in TEMAK. I felt great in the Lord
and believed He was really on my side. The Bible says that He shall
grant our heart's desire. He really did it.
“I can boldly say that it's through the help of God that I took the hair
dressing & design course for a total seven months. The training itself
took six months and thereafter I went out into the field where I met so
many challenges. After a month, I received my beautiful certificate.
“With a confident spirit, I can say that this course has benefited me in
many ways. One way is that whenever I go to any salon for service, I
guide the cosmetologist on how to deal with my hair therefore there is
no chance for faulty hair services on me.”
In August 2001, Carolyne got a job working in a beauty salon. Two months
later, she joined Victory Bible College after obtaining sponsorship for
a year’s course in Theological Studies. This, she completed in December
2002 at a time when historic General Elections were held in Kenya.
The outgoing President Daniel arap Moi had chosen a successor to contest
the election against a coalition of opposition parties. All attention
was riveted on Kenya as there were fears of explosive power struggles.
However, democracy prevailed and the opposition coalition won the
presidential and parliamentary polls. Following victory, the new
president, Mwai Kibaki announced that all public schools would admit
children free of charge. Millions of children across the country flooded
public schools. The sheer numbers were beyond all projections and it
became clear that Kenya is far from tackling issues related to poverty.
Carolyne was among the hordes of children who joined public schools in
January 2003.
Carolyne joined class 7 which was the point she had left school in 1998.
She went against the wishes of relatives who had already identified a
young man interested in marrying her. At 16, Carolyne did not wish to
get married and her pursuit of education made her steadfast in her
decision. Surprisingly, even her own church minister was against her
return to school! He felt that studies would take up so much of
Carolyne’s time that she wouldn’t concentrate on church work.
Carolyne fell victim to mental stress and her body cracked: stomach
ulcers saw her admitted in hospital that same year. To pay hospital
bills running to Shs18,000 ($225) Carolyne’s mother sold everything she
had – including her old food kiosk business. Meanwhile, Carolyne was
about to join class 8, the final step in primary school where students
sit for high school entrance national examinations. The final year in
class 8 is critical for it involves constant study and revision to
prepare candidates for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education
examination.
Carolyne and her mother felt she wouldn’t get the best possible
education in congested public schools. In 2004, she shifted to a
privately-run school in her neighborhood where she finally finished
primary school education after a 14-year journey. However, it still
wasn’t smooth sailing to the final finish. Carolyne’s headmaster
threatened to bar her from sitting the final examination if she didn’t
clear her school fees arrears. She left school for two weeks to raise
the money by working in another beauty parlor 80km away. Carolyne got
back to school in time for the examination and managed to get a mean
score of 67%. She now has a letter of admission to the Kisumu Girls’
High School.
For a girl who spent so much of her early life outside school, Carolyne
is remarkably fluent in English. She attributes this to the training she
received at TEMAK, where English is the medium of instruction. Her one
year course at the Victory Bible College also helped improve her English
speaking skills. Carolyne hopes to continue with studies and achieve her
goal of qualifying as a doctor. But first, she needs four years of high
school education which her family cannot afford to pay.
Carolyne’s mother remarried but the stepfather has declined to support
her education. Indeed, according to Carolyne, the stepfather has
expressed outright hostility against her and often, she is forced to
sleep in her church or her sister’s home. This will make it necessary
for Carolyne to actually live within the high school compound to avoid
such distractions to her studies. Kisumu Girls High School has boarding
facilities intended for students like her. A boarding student has to pay
slightly higher fees than a day student.
Carolyne’s mother is unable to pay the fees on her own for she sold her
food kiosk to cover her daughter’s treatment two years ago. Her
relatives and siblings are in no position to assist with school fees, if
anything, several of them still insist that Carolyne get married and
start her own family.
Carolyne, a girl with great potential, needs assistance to proceed with
high school education. She has struggled against great odds at home and
in her environment to make something of her life. Carolyne can achieve
big things if given the chance. She has led an upright life without
succumbing to the many vices in her immediate neighborhood such as
alcoholism, drug abuse and prostitution. She has experienced things most
people will not see in their lifetime. She has proved that she can make
the most of whatever she gets. She deserves better things in life. She
needs this chance to go to school.
Carolyne needs help.
She needs your help.
The story of Carolyne is just one of the hundreds of needy girls crying
for help. Thank God for Vincent Brogan and friends support that has been
used to pay high school fees that has enabled Carolyne join Kisumu Girls
High School.
Just before she went to school, Carolyne said:
“I thank God for this, I pray to God to expand your work and make your
plans successful. I’m reporting to school today. I’m so happy about it
because it’s the doing of the Lord. I’ll never forget TEMAK for what
they have done for me. They have bought for me books and paid my school
fees. I am grateful from my heart and I am so happy. I pray to God to
help them and bless them. Amen.”
20 years old: abandoned with two kids
Agnes'
Odhiambo's outlook at life changed when she came to TEMAK.
|
|
