My name is Benson Gathumbi Muthara. I like to call myself a dreamer, go-getter, and someone who never gives up easily. This is the story of how the Tenda Wema initiative, in partnership with Zizi Afrique and Safaricom Foundation, helped me keep my education dream alive.
I was born and raised in a small village in Kimuru, Wamumu ward, Mwea West, Kirinyaga County. In our community, education was highly valued. Parents, both young and old, encouraged their children to study hard so they could have a better future.
I grew up in a family of five; my parents, my two sisters, and me. My father was a small-scale farmer, and my mother was a housewife. Life was tough, especially when it came to paying school fees. I often saw how hard my parents struggled to keep the three of us in school. That motivated me, from a very young age, to work hard in my studies.
Fortunately, I received sponsorship support when I was in Class Eight. After sitting for my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations and scoring 348 marks, I was admitted to St. Augustine Mwea Boys High School. I spent the next four years working hard, driven by the dream of joining one of Kenya’s universities.
I worked hard throughout my four years in high school because my ambitions kept pushing me to do better. Performing well in school strengthened my relationship with my sponsor, my teachers, and my parents.
However, just a week before my KCSE exams, I fell seriously ill and was hospitalized at Kimbimbi Level 4 Hospital in Mwea. I even had to sit for some of my exams from a hospital bed. Unfortunately, I missed the university cut-off point by just one mark, and at that moment, I felt my dream of joining university was slipping away.
Not long after, I received an admission letter from Rift Valley Technical Institute of Science and Technology in Uasin Gishu County to study a Diploma in Information Technology. Sadly, my parents could not afford to pay the fees.
I was on the verge of losing hope. That’s when a miracle happened. Through the TENDA WEMA initiative, I was admitted to Christian Industrial Training College (CITC) in Thika under the Safaricom Cohort 2 programme to study for a certificate in Electrical Installation. TENDA WEMA covered all my tuition fees, making my college life much easier. With that burden lifted, my only focus was to work hard and succeed.
I sat for my KNEC certificate exams in Electrical Installation and graduated with a credit. After graduation, I was fortunate to take part in a Tenda Wema initiative programme that was rolled out in my hometown, Mwea, in a village called Ndindiruku. As part of giving back to the community, we got involved in different activities such as distributing storybooks and novels to local primary schools and even setting up a village library for everyone to benefit from.
That experience awakened something in me. I realized I have a responsibility to give back because I am a product of goodwill from society. Since then, I have committed myself to always take part in initiatives that require volunteering, self-drive, and a genuine desire to serve humanity.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue partnering with such programmes and exploring opportunities to make a meaningful impact. My philosophy in life is simple: I want to “die empty” to give as much of myself as I can in service to others before my time runs out.
As I conclude, I want to say a big thank you to the Tenda Wema initiative for making the dreams of many Kenyans, including mine, a reality. May you never lack.
