Festus Muthui Muema
My name is Festus Muthui Muema. I graduated with a degree in Nursing from the University of Nairobi in 2018. I am the 7th born in a family of nine siblings. My father and mother are peasant farmers in marginalized areas of Kitui County in the Eastern part of Kenya. Due to abject poverty, none of my siblings had a chance to acquire university education, with the exception of one who is currently in his second year at the university. My childhood was characterized by numerous struggles. I vividly remember missing several meals and lacking decent clothing, which traumatized me and lowered my self-esteem. After completing elementary education in 2004, my hopes of pursuing secondary school education were dashed and the only option I had was to repeat grade 8, the final class in primary school. Having performed exceptionally well, repeating the 8th grade one more time was not a plausible option. I ended up at the heart of Kibera slums, in Nairobi. Here as a young boy, I took up several odd jobs such as hawking boiled eggs to make ends meet. Eventually, I was connected to St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary school in Kibera through a Catholic church where I was training mass servers. This became my point of deliverance, the turning point in my life. The school gave me a reason to smile and believe again. Even though I was quite old for high school, I took the chance and decided to make the best out of the “second chance” I had been given to pursue my high school education.
St. Al’s became my home far away from home. I successfully completed my high school education in 2013 and registered for my degree program in Nursing at the University of Nairobi. At this point, St. Aloysius connected me to Project Harambee founded by Professor Kathleen Harrison, and Window of Hope founded by Isaac Hanna. These two organizations became the cornerstone for my university life by supporting my entire education for four years. To say that they have molded my career into what it is, gracefully turning me into a licensed nurse, would be an understatement. I gained valuable experience during and after my studies by organizing and participating in several medical camps and health conferences courtesy of my connection with Project Harambee, Window of Hope, and St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary school.
The seed that was planted by St. Aloysius was cared for and nurtured by these two great Americans who made sure that the journey was completed in earnest. As a way of giving back to society, I gave part of my time for clinical practice at Kitui County Referral Hospital where I helped people living with disabilities, youth, women, and the elderly. I witnessed first-hand their plight and the challenges they go through on a daily basis. Inspired by the values I acquired from Project Harambee. I founded a community-based organization known as Hope for the Neglected (HFN)-CBO. It is a game charger in empowering the elderly, women, and youth in Kitui West. The elderly and disabled have benefited through the feeding program, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our women also make baskets which they sell locally and to the visitors from outside the country.
Apart from these community empowerment programs, I also intend to vie for the parliamentary seat in my local constituency to represent my people at the National Parliament. I am strongly motivated by the fact that my constituency needs fresh and vibrant leadership, and I have all it takes to do it. Unlike the majority of young people in my constituency, I had a priceless opportunity courtesy of St. Aloysius to further both my secondary and university education. I now look to further my studies in Masters of Health Policy and Business Administration. Through these avenues, I believe I can make a huge difference, both in health and education, by influencing favorable policies that guarantee the youth, women, and elderly a future to be proud of. To everyone who has helped shape my life, albeit silently, I owe this and everything I do to you.