My name is Monica Riungu. I am the 3rd born of a family of 5. I have 4 brothers and I was born and raised in Nairobi. I grew up in a Christian home. I also attended Christian based primary and Secondary school. My parents separated when I was 6 years old and my mother did the most of our rearing.
I cleared secondary school in the year 2009. I got a C plain. I had no plans of attending any institution of higher education because there were no funds. My mum was retrenched in 2002 from her job. Life was hard, given that my brothers were also in school and my mum is the only bread winner.
A family friend (Mr. Ekambi), who works in Daystar University, showed Interest and offered to pay for my school fees at Daystar. I joined Daystar University in August 2010 doing a Diploma in Community Development, but after one semester (January 2011) he decided not to pay my fees. I had to drop out of school. All hope was lost for me, and all my Schooling dreams ended there. But God was faithful. That even in the despair, I still hoped and believed in Him. I never knew how, but I Knew deep down, God would come through for me.
I got a job as a shop assistant and I worked for 10 months. I had to leave that job because the lady I worked for was abusive, verbally.
While at that job, I used to Google search “scholarships” and that’s how I got to learn about Dr. Mary Muchiri and the Josephine Wambui Kimori Scholarship Fund. I e-mailed her and we talked about my Situation. We met and spoke in person and she told me she would meet with the committee and consider me, and she surely did.
In 2014 August, am back in school to clear my Diploma. I am really grateful for another chance. A second chance at education, a hope and a privilege to reach greater heights and achieve my dreams.
I am really thankful to God. It’s not my doing, but His hand. I have seen God’s love, grace and mercies in my life and I can testify to His goodness and favor upon my life. I am a people person. I interact with them well, hence my course. I am also in Doulos (a servant leadership group in school) and I get to meet many different people.
It’s with deep gratitude and appreciation that I thank all who are giving towards my education through The Josephine Wambui Kimori Scholarship Fund. May God bless the works of your hands and bless your giving hearts abundantly. I am humbled and motivated to do my best in school and in life and to be a disciple of Christ; that I will not shine, but Christ will shine through me. This walk hasn’t been easy, but God has been faithful. Every day is a learning experience, and I am growing and learnings spiritually and physically. Surely God is faithful and He will never put to shame those who trust in Him.