Written by John Ongubo, CFK Africa alumnus.
My name is John Ongubo, a proud alumnus of the Lux Sit and Jim Rogers scholarship program, born and raised in a family of seven in Kibera. Being a young person in the largest slum in the world, life has not been easy. Growing up, my parents had to hustle in whatever way possible to provide for us. Their main motivation was to give us a life better than the one they had, and from an early age, I knew education was key to my future success.
Where It All Started
I fell in love with learning at Soweto Primary School in Kibera. For the first time, I was introduced to academic concepts and skills like reading and writing. My teachers motivated me to work hard to better my life, but the journey was not without difficulties. Even though I was motivated to learn and had support at home, I still experienced challenges like paying for school fees, school uniforms, and supplies.
Struggles were part and parcel of my life. When the time came for me to graduate to the next level, I knew I had to achieve a high test score to keep doors of possibility open. I managed to score 391 marks in my 2019 KCPE exams and was admitted to Chewoyet Boys High School, a national school in West Pokot County.
Since paying school fees was a struggle for my family during my primary school years, transitioning to high school seemed nearly impossible due to our limited financial resources. But we didn’t give up hope. My parents again hustled, this time asking around about scholarship opportunities. They knew how hard I had worked and didn’t want my shining light to dim. I was glad to join CFK Africa’s scholarship program to continue with my high school education.
My CFK Scholarship Experience
As a CFK Africa Lux Sit and Jim Rogers scholar, I joined a supportive network of aspiring youth. Despite coming from challenging backgrounds, we all shared a dream of excelling in school. As a scholar, I was introduced to new academic resources and extracurricular activities. Beyond school fee support, CFK Africa provided study materials like textbooks, writing tools, and revision materials, ensuring we were prepared to achieve our ambitions. The study camps were my favorite part of the program – they made learning fun. During the camps, we not only participated in educational sessions with CFK Africa staff at cool places like museums, but we also interacted with other scholars, sharing ideas with our peers and learning from one another.
I was also proud to participate in CFK Africa’s YLPC “Youth Leadership Pathway Curriculum.” This special program was designed to help us become better leaders through modules on public speaking, community service, and peer mentorship. I am proud to say that the program has really helped me grow into becoming a leader. Before, given where I come from, I never thought I could be in the same room with respected leaders of society. But now, I am more confident in my skills and the ideas I have to offer the world. I know that I hold as much promise as anyone else, and that I should have a seat at the table, too.
In school, I was motivated to work hard to set an example and a pace for my siblings to follow. I didn’t take my scholarship lightly, and I poured myself into the opportunity to ensure I could achieve my dream goals. I managed to score an average grade of a B in my 2023 KCSE exams, and I feel incredibly accomplished with that score. I not only achieved one of my greatest goals, but also made my parents and CFK Africa proud.
On to The Next
But high school is not where my educational journey ended. As a young person, I was obsessed with the world of technology. That interest drove me towards my future career. I applied to university and was accepted into one of Kenya’s best universities that offers IT courses. Today, I am a proud student at the Meru University of Science and Technology, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. I am learning how to become a programmer, a developer, and also a Pentester – a cybersecurity professional.
Outside of school, I am interested in the music industry. I am a spoken word artist and also an instrumentalist, specifically a drummer. Music has become an important creative outlet for me, and I can lose myself for hours in creating spoken word poetry and music. Coming from Kenya’s largest slum, I have a lot to share with the world about my experience. I have lived through hardship, but I have also lived with opportunity, creativity, and resilience.
In the future, I see myself as a changemaker. I want to volunteer in mentorship programs to better the lives of other future leaders. Mirroring the support I got from CFK Africa, I am motivated to give back to younger students. In this way, our hope for a better future will be restored as a generation.