Let us keep this young man in the University - a call to well-wishers!

 My Dependable Well-wishers,

I come to you with an experience worth sharing for your support. Read on as I prepare by begging bowl for this boy.

A month ago, I attended an Award Ceremony at my Alma mater - St. Mary's School, Yala which in itself was a great experience for me and everyone else who joined us.

During that event, as I grabbed pictures with my camera; a teacher in the school walked up to me and told me he was directed to speak to me by one of our senior old boys in attendance. He had been told that I would be able to assist him. It was a busy day so I was not very attentive as he briefed me about a student that he had taught in another school who was at the verge of dropping out of university. Specially because I was not sure how I would be able to mobilize people to his aid.

So I went back to the school, a few days later and met him for a more detailed background information on the case and the student. At the end of it, I asked him to share my phone number with the young man so he could better detail his situation to me.

A few days later, the young man called and I asked him to speak to me on a Saturday where our long conversation would not interrupt or be interrupted by my work meetings and interviews.

He kept his word and called and shared with me his situation.

Lawrence Ouma Opondo, of Student Admission Number BARC/176J/2019 at The Technical University of Mombasa was admitted to study Bachelor of Architectural  Studies as the best student from his high school -  Ugenya High School in Ugenya, Siaya County in Kenya.

He informed me that he went through his entire four year secondary education through well wishers and bursaries from the CDF - Constituency Development Fund. In the end, he still left the school with a fees balance of over 20,000 Kenya Shillings ($200).

At the moment, he is a Third Year student going Fourth in the Six year degree course and at the verge of dropping out for lack of money to pay fees, pay for his university accommodation or even food. He informed me that he comes from a very poor family and decided not to speak about his dad in this matter but mentioned that once a while, his mum goes borrowing money from other women groups to send him at least some Kenya Shillings 5000 ($50) for his fees, accomodations and food once a while.

This young man was supposed to go for an industrial attachment in Nairobi but could not because one, he had no fare to travel from Mombasa to the assigned place in Nairobi and two, there was simply no way he could even put up nor be able to move in Nairobi without any resources in his possession. So, he let it slide.

Ladies and gentlemen, my late dad told me that if someone comes to me to assist them; I didn't need to dismiss them but ask myself what they saw in me that they didn't see in other people they could go to. Since I know they certainly saw that I don't have money I think the boy and the teacher 'saw' that I had you. It is you I am reaching out to help me keep this young man through university. I will one day meet him and share his pictures and appreciation of your support.

How can you assist him?

He needs college fees, accomodation as well as money for food during the remaining part of his education.

He will need slightly over Kenya Shillings 150,000 ($1500) for the remainder of his university education in terms of fees and accomodation. He has provided the Mpesa payment information in the attached pictures where you can use the mobile money Mpesa Paybill 4045313 and account Number BARC/176J/2019 to chip in whatever you can afford and share with me the payment confirmation on my cell +254722294727 

He will need some money for food and other subsistence needs through his course. I cannot put an exact figure here but you can chip in my buying him vouchers from supermarkets so he can use them to stock his food basket or send him money directly for the same.

He is required to get a laptop for his design work which appear like will cost about Kshs. 100,000 ($1000) or thereabouts.The specs he shared are as follows: 

Laptop Specs

• Intel i7 or i9 processor
• Windows 10 or 11
• 16 - 32 GB of RAM
• Dedicated video processor should be one of the following or greater: Nvidia Quadro, Nvidia® Geforce 1660, 2060, 3060 or greater.
• At least a 500 GB hard drive (SSD hard drive)

My begging bowl is open , please send in some money to the school account so we have the fees covered as a priority then we can collect some for his food and subsistence on my phone once we have some reasonable fees collection. His classes resume on 8th May 2023.

I will appreciate your support and keep you all updated on the progress we will make with this noble initiative.

This boy had me and I have you. 

Thank you!

Tom Arody