CURRENT SCHOLARS
Moses
Moses Omondi was the first of our sponsored students. Children normally start secondary school aged fourteen in Kenya but Moses began later due to family problems. He is an orphan and his guardian is Sarah Njambi who became headmistress of Saramek Primary after Will and Ollie left and where Moses was one of the top students in his year. Unfortunately, however, Sarah was driven out of the area by the troubles that followed the elections in December 2007. Since Moses was from the Luo tribe, he was not targeted and was able to remain. He has an aunt who works on one of the local tea estates and with whom he spends some of the holidays. Will Tudor-Evans and his mother, Shirley, visited him when they went to Kenya in May. He is now waiting for the results of his final exams which will determine if he will get a government sponsored place at university where he would like to study engineering. Moses is also a keen rugby and football player. He is on Facebook so Will gets the occasional message from him!
Simon
Simon Mwega’s sponsorship began in January 2008 after he finished at Saramek Primary School. His father had died and his mother couldn’t look after him as there were several children. Simon was on the streets when Sarah Njambi (then headmistress of Saramek Primary School) took care of him. He went with Sarah when she was displaced and now attends Gichuru Secondary School near Ngecha and nearer Nairobi. We are waiting to hear if he gets the necessary grades for university.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah Mungai’s sponsorship also began in January 2008. It was impossible to decide between him and Simon at the time as they both seemed worthy causes. He was also at Saramek and was brought up by his grandmother who later died. When his mother got married her husband ‘did not want to care for Simon’ according to Sarah and so Jeremiah also joined Sarah’s household and now attends Ichagaki Boys High School at Maragua and not far from Sarah and Simon.
Jeremiah’s latest marks are not as good as they were but he has had some problems with his eyes which has affected both his distance vision and his ability to read. so the Trust paid for some eye tests and the necessary glasses. He is the same age as Simon and we await his final results too.
Unfortunately due to the time and distance involved Will and Shirley were not able to visit Simon and Jeremiah in May but did meet up with Sarah in Nairobi who bought letters and reports from them.
Nicholas
Nicholas Bor is one of six children and comes from an extremely poor family living on the tea estate at Kericho who Will and Shirley visited. Only he and his younger brother are in education. He passed out top from Saramek Primary and initially went to a school 20 miles from Kericho but had a lot of hearing problems and is now at a day school nearer home. The Trust has paid for hearing tests and specialist hospital visits. He will need an operation but the doctors have advised leaving it until he has finished his secondary education. He would like to become a doctor.
Billian
Billian Awour is at a Catholic school rather a long way from Kericho on the way to Lake Victoria. She too had done well at Saramek Primary but her mother had died, her father remarried and then he too died. So she moved with her stepmother and her two children to Mirogi. Will and Shirley visited her there, the latter part of the road was terrible but it is being done up by the Israelis and in another year will be good! Beatrice seemed very cheerful and happy and according to the deputy head and her reports is doing well – she is keen on her sciences.
Beatrice
Beatrice Odongo is the youngest of the students sponsored by the Trust and started at secondary school at Roret in January 2011 having also been at Saramek. Her mother died in 2004 and father in 2010. Will and Shirley met her guardian Bernina who works on one of the big flower farms on a tea estate at Kericho as well as visiting Beatrice at her school where she is a boarder. Her headmistress was full of praise saying she was definitely university material – very impressive marks so far. She gave a very moving little speech as Will and Shirley left saying how grateful she was etc. She said she would like to be an air hostess!