A young Kenyan woman just spent an extraordinary week visiting Malibu to help raise awareness of a student scholarship program that has funded her education.
Tabitha Nasambu Mukara is from Kitale, Kenya, and is now the first person ever in her village to travel outside of her country.
“When I received the information that I was coming, I was so happy. I couldn’t believe it,” she explained.
Growing up in a third world nation without a father in her home made life difficult, Tabitha explained. She shared a two-room house without running water or electricity with her mother and five other siblings. After finishing eighth grade, she said her family would not have been able to afford to send her to high school.
Four years ago, however, Tabitha’s life changed when she applied for and was chosen a scholarship that is sponsored by a number of Malibu families. Education For All Children is a charity that offers education and employment programs to bright, disadvantaged Kenyan youth in an effort to lift students out of poverty and raise the dismal unemployment rate in the African nation.
A relatively new program, Education For All Children has grown in just eight years to now serve 350 deserving students in Kenya. Students there who are in need and score well on tests are sponsored for four-year secondary education or post-secondary (college) education. Tabitha’s school was in Naivasha, six hours away from her home. All students board at their schools as well, because EFAC found that students who lived at home were not able to study due to typical, taxing household chores in Kenya such as hauling firewood and water.
After Tabitha finished high school and, due to her good grades — among other factors — she was chosen as an EFAC scholar to come to the United States and take summer school courses.
The young woman, now 20, just finished Advanced Biology at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. An EFAC board member who lives in Malibu, Mona Kyle, then treated Tabitha to a week in Malibu and to share her experience with others to try to attract new sponsors.
Kyle, a certified English as a second language instructor, is about to make her third trip to Kenya to teach for a few months.
“I saw first-hand how EFAC was changing these kids lives,” she told The Malibu Times. “I came back a true believer.” Kyle, who hosted Tabitha in her home last week, also held a luncheon to gather more Malibu support for other Kenyan students in need of scholarships.
She explained that paying for just one year of tuition, room and board is only $1,000 per year. Sponsors must commit to four years for consistency in order to ensure the students’ ability to finish high school or college coursework. If the cost was prohibitive, Kyle also encouraged those attending to get groups together, like a book club or high school service club, to split the donation in an effort to help.
Fiona Corrigan of Malibu is already sponsoring a young girl named Winifred. The two correspond through email. Corrigan said providing Winifred with an education is a way to help the girl “live to her potential.” She said otherwise Winifred would have no education beyond the eighth grade when the government no longer provides it for free.
Artist Kathleen Keifer is also a sponsor of a young man named Leonard, whom she felt connected with because he wants to be an artist as well. Keifer donated a painting of elephants on the African veldt to a new sponsor. Linda Euler took the painting home after agreeing to fund a new student. The caterer of the event, Tom Peters, also offered a dinner for eight to anyone who agreed to two sponsorships.
At the luncheon, Tabitha was able to meet donors and tell them how their support has benefited her and many other youth.
“It’s my opportunity to meet the people who’ve sponsored me. And the whole idea about diversity — I appreciate that so much,” she said.
Tabitha will now attend Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology. Her major will be Public Health.
She said she wants to help her community.
“In my local area, we have so many people who cannot access health services,” Tabitha said. “They don’t know how to control some diseases. I may be able to at least help.”
For more information, go to: educationforallchildren.org.
