MAURICE OMONDI

TELLER AT CO-OPERATIVE BANK

KEF has educated over 4,500 Kenyan youth. Maurice is one of many whose story shows just what a good education can do in changing lives. Before getting the KEF scholarship, Maurice had repeated Class 8(Grade 8) twice because that is the end of free education in Kenya. He graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science from Maseno University in 2022 and currently works at the Co-operative Bank of Kenya.

Here is Maurice’s story:

“My name is Maurice. I graduated from high school in 2016 and at Cooperative Bank. I studied Actuarial Science at Maseno University, graduating in 2022.

Growing up, my family struggled with finances. I had to repeat class eight twice because we couldn't afford the school fees required to join high school. Thankfully, before I did class 8 a third time, I received the Kenya Education Fund scholarship. KEF helped cover my school fees, uniform and books throughout high school.

My life is much better than it used to be thanks to the KEF scholarship and mentorship program. I am now a public speaker, thanks to the KEF mentorship program. I enjoy motivating others and sharing my story.

In my village, I tutor high school students in math, physics, and geography—subjects I excelled in. I also help some university students online, especially with Actuarial Mathematics this is my way of giving back to my community. I've achieved my educational dreams and now help others reach theirs too.”

Naomi Mugoya

Communications

I joined the kef family in 2008, when I was just 16 years old and in 10th grade at Bahati P.C.E.A Girl’s in Nakuru County. I was just a young girl with a dream. Getting a KEF scholarship was such a huge blessing for me since this was just after post elections violence. My family and I fled the place we called home and left behind every little thing we ever owned to start a new life and it has never been the same again.

KEF supported me throughout high school. I later joined Multimedia University College of Kenya, I took diploma in mass communication and graduated in 2013. Currently am working at a Law firm on weekdays as a communications person and on weekends I do videography and photography around Nairobi.

I am proud to be among the pioneers of the KEF Alumni Association which we founded in August 2014. I am currently the Country Coordinator. I joined it so that I can give back and help a bright needy student achieve his or her dreams as I did.

I am also happy that through KEF I got to meet other wonderful scholars who are now like my siblings. It is because of KEF I got a chance to pursue the course of my choice in college and now living my dream. ASANTE KEF!!!"

Lordfica Atieno

Banker

KEF came to my rescue at a time when the fate of my education hung in a balance. My father, who was the bread winner, had lost his job and therefore could no longer afford to provide for the family. I remember my school fees balance had piled up and I had been out of school for almost two months trying to raise money. There was nothing I wanted more at that time than being able to be back in class. Then just at the right time I learnt about KEF via my teacher. I applied for a scholarship and let me say, my prayers were granted. I joined the KEF Family!

This gave me a peace of mind and an opportunity to improve and study even harder. My grades went from good to better and even when I sat for my KSCE examinations I managed to make my sponsors proud by achieving very impressive results.

In December 2015, I graduated with a Bachelor of Economics and Statistics at Kenyatta University and later on got a job with KCB Bank Kenya. In future I hope to begin my masters and build a strong career in the banking industry.  I’m also a member of the KEF Alumni Association through which members give back to the community by participating in various activities. I am who I am today because KEF was there to hold and mold me. Thank you KEF!

Winfred Anyona

Techie and Founder-Love Health Foundation

We were six of us living with our parents in the slum.  I wanted a better life for all of us.  Mom and dad did not earn enough money to pay for me to go to high school, so my only chance was to excel in my eighth-grade exams. In the end I did very well and got a KEF scholarship for 4-years of boarding high school.

Using the confidence and knowledge I developed with KEF, after high school I managed on my own to get a 90% scholarship to Strathmore University - a prestigious business school in Kenya!   Today I have a Bachelor of Business Information and Technology.

As someone who has benefited from the support of strangers, I now have it my heart to help others.  After volunteering at Kenyatta Hospital, the national hospital in Kenya, I founded Love Health Foundation to help families pay their children’s medical bills. 

Currently, I am working at Cellulant in Nairobi as a Support Engineer. I hope to rise even higher as I focus on becoming a data scientist.

Thank you to KEF and everyone who helped make me who I am today. 

Winnie Okello

Nurse

Kef came into my life in 2008 when I was joining high school. Before kef came into play I had no hope of joining high school and I thought my dreams had been shuttered and primary school was the end of my education.

KEF supported me, they made sure I never lacked anything that would compromise my studies. I never missed any class or school as my fee was paid in time. They also followed up on my progress in school and encouraged me to work hard and smart.

I graduated from Ngara girls’ high school in 2011 and went on to study Nursing. KEF made my dream come into reality and am living that dream. I am now a certified Community Health Nurse, like I always wanted to be.

Viona Shina Leboo

Graduate Harvard University

Shina grew up in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro, in a small village named Loitokitok. After high school, she received a full scholarship to Harvard University where she studies Economics and Psychology. After completing a summer internship at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, Shina was offered a full time position upon graduation.

Fatuma Adan Mohamed

Junior at University of Toronto Mississauga 

Fatuma and her family fled Somalia when she was eight years old due to ongoing violence resulting from the civil war. They ended up in Dadaab Refugee Camp on Kenyan/Somali border. Dadaab is the largest refugee camp in the world with some 400,000 residents. Residents struggle with chronic overcrowding, risk of disease, seasonal floods and lack of educational and employment opportunities.

Fatuma overcame significant obstacles (including lack of support for girl education) to gain admission to a quality high school outside of the camp. But she couldn't afford it. Enter KEF, sponsoring four years of schooling at The Kenya High School. This impressive young woman thrived in high school and is currently on scholarship studying Psychology at University of Toronto Mississauga in Canada. She hopes to go on to medical school upon graduation. 

Philitricia Were

Sophomore at Middlebury College

After receiving a KEF high school scholarship to a quality boarding school, Philitricia rose to the top of her class. A budding leader, Philitricia was chosen to serve in student government as academic prefect and received an 'A' upon graduation on the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

Her outstanding performance and determined spirit earned her a scholarship to Middlebury College in Vermont, U.S. This feat is particularly impressive as Middlebury is listed as the fourth best liberal arts college in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report, with a mere 17% acceptance rate. Currently a sophomore, Philitricia is studying Economics and Spanish. 

Zura Suleiman Mahmoud

Post-grad at Northfield Mount Hermon School

After completing high school in Kenya, Zura earned a scholarship to Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH), an elite prep school in Massachusetts, U.S.

NMH is a highly selective college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9–12 and postgraduates. (Member of the Eight Schools Association which includes the notable Andover and Exeter)

While at NMH, Zura will be focusing on increasing her college prospects. She hopes to gain admission to a college or university in the U.S. and study Economics and Mathematics. 

FARDOSA ABDULLAHI

freshman AT KARABUK UNIVERSITY

Fardosa remembers running home from Kindergarten to tell her father she could not only write her name but his as well. He was so proud that he told everyone he could find. From this day forward, he knew that unlike many Somali girls living in Kenya, she should be given the opportunity to get an education and not forced to marry early.

KEF supported Fardosa's high school education. Afterward, she moved to Turkey to attend Karabuk University. Some members of her extended family and community made some noise about this untraditional decision. But Fardosa says she, "turned off the noises... and listened to myself because I am what matters in the equation." She is in her first year studying Railway System Engineering. 

Hussein Kassim Hussein

SOPHOMORE at University of Nairobi

In Kenya, top students are given the opportunity to attend national "gifted" schools. Unfortunately, many of these bright scholars are unable to attend as the cost is almost double the fees of standard high school. 

After receiving a KEF scholarship, Hussein was able to attend one of these top schools. Upon graduation from Lenana High School, Hussein earned a perfect score on his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). 

This achievement earned Hussein many awards as well as an intern opportunity with Pathologists Lancet Kenya. Hussein is currently studying Electrical and Information Engineering at The University of Nairobi. 

ENOW Rahma hassan

freshman at fatih University 

Enow comes from a polygamous community in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Even though girls are often marginalized in this area and committed in child marriage, Enow's father always told her she was a shining star. Her mother, while uneducated herself, always tried her hardest to support Enow's educational aspirations. 

Tremendously grateful to her sponsors who supported her scholarship, Enow is also thankful to KEF staff who taught her many leadership skills at our workshops. Enow is currently at Fatih University in Turkey studying medicine. She hopes to someday become a Pediatric Doctor. 

Abigail Mbai

Senior at Pwani University

Abigail’s journey with KEF started in 2011, when she was just finishing her primary school education. Now, she is pursuing Bachelor of Economics at Pwani University in Kenya.

She and her 10 siblings grew up in a small village in Kibwezi, Makueni County, about 196 kilometers South-East of the capital Nairobi.

Growing up was very difficult. Her parents did not have enough money to cater for school fees or more basic needs like food. When it rained, there house would leak and sometimes some walls would come down since it was a mud house.

Despite it all, she still admires her parents for their resilience.

Her greatest strength is being social. She interacts easily with others which helps her learn new things.

“Life before KEF was hard, I had little hope of going to high school. Luckily, KEF was there for me through out my high school life, they made sure I never lacked. Now, I have an opportunity to further my education and light up my life. I have hope and strength to achieve my goals. Abigail is going to be the best she can ever be. I am forever grateful for that.”

Hildah Chebet

Senior, Multimedia University of Kenya

I received a KEF scholarship in 2012 while in form two. Before KEF, life was difficult, raising school fees was a hard task for my parents since my father was jobless while my mother was a casual laborer.

I never had to worry about my school fees and this helped me focus on my studies more. Moreover, the constant checkups and visits from the KEF staff assured me of their dedication towards improving my life and walking with me through my high school education.

KEF has been of great influence in my life. Through my experience as a mentor in KEF, I have learnt the value of uplifting and encouraging my fellow youth and also creating platforms for them to raise their issues. I have also acquired a lot of leadership and social skills and have had the opportunity to interact and network with like-minded individuals who have helped me grow.

I am now in Multimedia university of Kenya taking a bachelors degree in applied communication, majoring in development and health communication.

I am greatly humbled by the support given to me by KEF.

Wilson Ochieng

Senior Kenyatta University

I lived with my parents in the slums of Kibera, at a place called Makina. I attended one of the nearest primary schools. Most of the preparations to attend high school, I had to do on my own. I had no means whatsoever on how I was going to get my school fees paid. I was practically waiting for a miracle. My mum had been paying for my primary school fees by selling chapatis.

Then I remembered one of my teachers, in class 7, had told us about an organization which gave scholarships. Luckily, I applied, and was accepted. I loved the way the KEF staff treated us. I felt I belonged to a second family. A family where we interacted, talked about our issues, goals and dreams, and we could be guided accordingly.

I have become a better man now, greatly because of KEF invested in me. I can confidently talk in front of people, make reasonable life choices and most importantly give back to my society.

Right now, I am still a student at Kenyatta University, taking a Bachelors degree in Information Technology. In the meanwhile, I am making it my mission to improve the society around me, just as KEF taught me. I have been a member of the President's Award club since high school. In the club, we do community service activities, like visiting Children's homes. We also attend various workshops, aimed at improving the status quo of our society. Furthermore, I am also a mentor at my former primary school.

John Njoroge

Director at an IT company

Even though I was born on fool’s day, I always knew I was destined for greatness. 
In my final 8th grade exam I did well enough to get into a good high school, which I never could have afforded if not for the generosity of my sponsor and KEF.

After my 12th grade, I joined the Technical University of Kenya to pursue Bachelor of Business Information Technology (BBIT) where I attained a First-Class Honors.  I always had a passion for computing and I am currently working as an ICT consultant, developer and a system analyst.

I also happen to be the director of an IT company, Reference Technologies, that deals with software, mobile applications, security systems, and other ICT solutions. 

Thank you so much KEF for holding my hand. I will surely do so for another person in need.

joel mwato

m.b.a, B.COm & C.P.A.

Joel graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in financial management, from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. He went on to get his CPA in accounting and is currently employed as a Senior Accountant at Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority. 

While working, Joel put himself through graduate school. He completed his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Nairobi in 2015. 

Benter Dongo

Senior Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology 

Benter grew up in a single room house made of iron-sheet, mud and cement in Mathari Slum. Due to her strong academic performance, Benter gained entry into a top high school and went on to graduate with top marks. She currently studies Human Resource Management at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Benter was a recipient of KEF’s Bridge Scholarship, which provides one year of University tuition to exemplary alumni.

Bashir maalim

Junior at university of Nairobi

Bashir comes from a nomadic, Somali community. He grew up with his 19 siblings in a single room home covered by a thatched-roof made of thin basal sticks. Often in primary school, classes with 90 students to 1 teacher occurred under a tree. The scorching sun distracting Bashir from his studies. His teachers were selfless in their relentless efforts to educate their students regardless of the limited resources. 

During his second year in high school, Bashir was sent home multiple times for lack of school fees. His father informed him that this was the end of his schooling. But a kind teacher took him aside and informed him of KEF. 

When Bashir graduated from high school in 2012, he placed 17th nationwide on the KCSE. Bashir is currently at the University of Nairobi, College of Health Sciences in his third year towards completion of a Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery. 

John Santosian Kamau

Graduate of The University of Nairobi

Growing up, John, his four brothers and grandmother had to make due with sharing one bed. With no solid enclosure, their home was exposed to the elements. Rainy days were particularly hard. Although nights will a full moon were pleasant due to their lack of electricity. 

Before receiving a KEF scholarship, John would have never dreamed of growing up to be a professional. Last fall, he graduated from University of Nairobi with a degree in Environmental Engineering. 

John is the founder of Africa Nomads Conservation, a group of environment conservationists working to save Kenyan wildlife from poachers. 

Ann wairimu

student at kenya institute of management

Due to lack of funds, Ann spent 10 years at home between elementary and high school. After receiving a KEF high school scholarship, the Principal at her school helped keep her true age a secret from her classmates.

Currently, Ann is a night student at Kenya Institute of Management to receive a diploma in Business Management. She is employed as a Depot Manager with Axon Energy.  

Karen Lerindo

Junior at Lakeland University, Wisconsin

Karen graduated high school second in her class with a A- on her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). She is currently on full scholarship at Lakeland University in Wisconsin, U.S. She is studying international business.

In 2015, Karen received an internship at Rockline Industries in their logistics and supply chain management department.

Charles Neepe

Graduate of Strathmore University

Charles grew up in a home made of wooden sticks and cow dung with his mother and seven siblings. Working as a nomadic pastoralist, his mother became the sole provider after his father died. Without a KEF scholarships, he would not have been able to attend high school.

Charles went on to attend Strathmore University. He is currently employed as an accountant with the global NGO, Islamic Relief Worldwide. In this work, Charles is able to pay it forward. Charles' work assists displaced persons and asylum seekers within the largest refugee camp in the world, Dadaab. He is also now able to pay for his younger siblings school fees.