John Makeni
13 April 2008
Nairobi — Residents of Ongata Rongai found it hard to believe when David Chege Njoroge said he was opening a school where local youth could learn about computers for free.
"I recall our pastor telling us about the college one day. I thought it was a hoax," says 18-year-old Grace Nduta. "Where would you study without paying a single cent? But I have never paid a single cent since enrolling in January."
Jerry Ross, an American who lives with his Maasai wife in Ongata and volunteers at Saviour Computer College, says 27-year-old Njoroge is doing a noble thing by giving young people in the region an opportunity.
Wesley Mose, one of the two instructors at the college, says most of the students, aged between 18 and 26, are thrilled by the opportunity to study the several computer packages on offer.
Prospective students have to prove their financial need and provide a letter of recommendation, either from their church or area chief.
"This is not just a place to pass the time; it is a learning centre," says Daniel Githinji, who hopes to become a civil engineer. "I finished high school last year, and the only thing I was doing until February was hanging out at the bus stop. Now I am learning something about computers."
There are 50 students enrolled in the college; some Form Four leavers, a few Standard Eight graduates and children from orphanages in the neighbourhood.
The 24 computers were donated to the college by Njoroge's friends at St Elizabeth Catholic Church in Wyandotte, Michigan in the United States. He attended Wayne Country Community College in nearby Detroit and graduated last June with a double degree in biology and sociology.
Although Njoroge still struggles to pay the college rent and the instructors, his philanthropic spirit runs deep. Even when he was about to give up, he got a shot in the arm to help him realise his dream of starting a university, and he attributes his success in life to the many well-wishers who have come to his aid.
In 1997, he and his family escaped death during the pre-election clashes over land in the Mobogoini area of Subukia. They fled to Ongata Rongai, south of Nairobi, where they were accommodated by a relative. The clashes did not deter him from continuing his studies at St Francis High School in Subukia, but he could not pay the Sh23,000 in school fees arrears so he stayed home for a year.
Determined not to let misery dampen his spirits, he started running on the local public field.
The day he met a teacher from the nearby Christ Care Home for Orphaned Children was the turning point in his life. He told her about his problems and she invited him to the home through which well-wishers contributed Sh8,000 to help him go back to school; the home took care of the remaining Sh14,000.
Given a new lease of life, Njoroge studied hard and scored a mean grade of B (plain) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination in 2000.But his mother had fallen ill, and his jobless father could not do much for the family. Njoroge took building and construction jobs and became a water vendor while his sisters took in laundry.
"We were in despair and literally thought we would never make it in life. Imagine a family of six children living in a one-room house with not enough food and at times no food at all," he recalls, adding they could not even afford a 10-shilling tin of charcoal.
This situation turned around when he joined the army in 2002 as a civilian athlete. A year later, the children's home sponsored him for a civil engineering course at Kenya Polytechnic, and then, following his burning ambition to study abroad, he applied to and was accepted by Utah State University in the U.S. Again, lack of funds blocked his way.
A cousin suggested he talk to Ngarari Mwaura who ran Shelter 2000, a Nairobi-based NGO, and was trying to help needy bright children obtain an education.
"Ngarari vowed to help me. He gave me pocket money, paid for my air ticket and sent me a cheque to cover for my first semester in Utah," Njoroge says. "But it was very expensive, $7000 (Sh434,000) a semester." After doing some research on the Internet, he settled on Wayne County Community College because it was relatively inexpensive, and he had a relative living in the Detroit area.
Looking back, Njoroge says his progress would not have been possible without the help of others. He, in turn, has paid to educate his siblings as well as two children from Christ Care.
The young man insists that no one should get the idea that he has a lot of money; it is the heart to help that counts. He is yet to obtain a licence for an NGO and plans to build up an institute in Kitengela to the level of a university.
"I think young people need help, and if they receive it, they can definitely succeed. I know how it feels when you have no hope and no money," he says. "The community saved my life."
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This is great for this young man to have done this.I respect this man coz i know what he can do.lets join hands and see to that his mission is accomplished.Dave keep the spirit coz God will bless you mpaka ushangae! Martin:Lansing,MI