Alumni Profiles

PAULINE AKAI LOKURUKA, B. ED. (UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI), M.A. (CORNELL UNIVERSITY, USA)

FROM TURKANA COUNTY

BOX 227-30500 LODWAR

Pauline Lokuruka from Turkana County and an alumnus of Loreto High School, Limuru, was sponsored by the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation for her high School education before she joined Kenyatta University for studies leading to a Bachelor of Education degree (Education and Home Economics). She was the first Turkana girl to go to University in 1980. After graduating from University in 1984, she taught at Turkana Girls High School the only girls’ school in Turkana County for a long time and became the first local Deputy Head teacher at the School in 1986. In 1988 she moved to become the Curator-designate of the Desert Museum in the then Turkana District through a Norwegian sponsored project of the National Museums of Kenya where she worked until 1990.  She later joined Egerton University in 1992 rising to the position of a Senior Assistant Registrar and lecturer on various gender topics.

She has been a keen mentor to numerous students while at Egerton University and participated in many development activities in Turkana County over the years including training women entrepreneurs, mentoring and teaching school teachers. She has served on Management Boards of a number of High Schools in Turkana, was a member of the Nakuru District Education Board, a Vice chairperson and Board member of the Kerio Development Authority, a delegate in KUSCO representing Egerton University SACCO management for a number of terms. She recently retired from University employment and now serves on the National Education Board. She was awarded a MA degree from Cornell University in the USA in education and international development. She is married to Professor Michael Lokuruka, a Commissioner of the Public Service Commission of Kenya.

HON. ABABU NAMWAMBA, LLM. (AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW)

LLB. (UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI),

FROM BUSIA COUNTY

BOX 12327-00100 NAIROBI

Ababu Namwamba is from Busia County and a top Constitutional and International Human Rights Lawyer trained in Nairobi and Washington DC, USA. Ababu Namwamba, an alumnus of Kolanya Boys high school was sponsored by the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation before proceeding to University of Nairobi for a Bachelor of Laws Degree and a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Kenya School of Law. He holds a Master of Laws Degree (LLM) in International Law from American University's Washington College of Law. He is a distinguished Hubert Humphrey Fellow and alumnus of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship.

Ababu is currently the Chief Administrative Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya. He was a Member of the Kenya National Assembly representing Budalang'i Constituency following his re-election in March, 2013, and has served as Kenya's Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs. He was also the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Parliament's premier oversight committee. Ababu has previously chaired Parliament's Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and also co-chaired the defunct Parliamentary Committee on Constitution Review that shepherded Kenya to a new constitutional dispensation in 2010. He also initiated and chaired the landmark Parliamentary Select Committee on Cost of Living in 2011; served on Parliament's Committee on Delegated Legislation; he was the Secretary of Bunge Football Club, of which he was the lead striker holding the all-time record of most goals scored. Between 2008 and 2013, he served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Kenya's largest political party both in and out of Parliament. An avid reader and writer, as well as keen commentator on public affairs, he runs a popular weekly column for the Standard on Sunday - a leading Kenyan newspapers.

Before his election to Parliament on his first attempt in 2007, he served as Chief Counsel at the Chambers of Justice (a Public Interest Foundation he founded in 2002); headed his own law firm, Ababu Namwamba Attorneys-at-Law; directed his private charity, Ababu Namwamba Foundation; and wrote a weekly political analysis column for the Sunday Standard newspaper. He was also active in the international lobbying circuit, strongly advocating for issues such as fair trade and debt relief for Africa and human rights through forums like the World Social Forum.

 Name: Maseno Yvonne Priscah

Residence: Rongo, Migori County

Date of birth: 3rd April 1996

Primary: Success Academy, Rongo

KCPE marks: 350 out of 500

High school: Ogande Girls’

Sponsorship years: 2011-2014

Performance: B

Yvonne is an orphan with five siblings, the eldest of whom (sister) is a teacher. Though her earnings are meager, she has to balance it between her son’s school fees and three siblings in secondary school. When Yvonne completed primary school, she knew without an iota of a doubt that she was an extra burden to her ailing sister.

She applied for the JKF scholarship in January 2011 and was successful. The following year, a JKF scholarship officer visited her at school following a decline in performance. The officer counselled and mentored Yvonne. Three months later she had moved from grade C to B, and was top of her class (see attached report forms). It is gratifying to note that she has been on a steady rise since. We wish her all the best.

Name : Caleb Kiprono Metto

Residence: Sangalo Location-Nandi District

Date of Birth: 6th September 1987

Primary: Chepyagoris Primary school

KCPE marks: 409

High School: Mang’u Boys

Sponsorship years: 2002-2005

KCSE Grade: A

University: Nairobi University-2006-2011

Course: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Caleb comes from a destitute family where the mother was ailing during his 8 years in primary school and the father was retrenched as a driver while he was in sixth grade. He could not manage to report to secondary school since the parents could not afford fees.

The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation came in at the hour of need and sponsored him for 4 years where he scored an ‘A’. He is currently working with the Youth Agency for Development of Science, Technology and innovations (YADSTI) a public benefit organisation that seeks to promote science, technology and innovations (STI) as a tool for development and youth empowerment through capacity building towards the realisation of the Kenya Vision 2030 objectives. He is the Chairman of the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation Scholarship Beneficiaries Association.

I, Joy Vivian Kendi, is of humble beginnings. I reiterate: HUMBLE. Having been brought up by a single mother was pretty tough but I thank God she always had a way out for us. Despite being retrenched from her civil service job, she was able to enroll me at Meru Saleem Academy for class one. However, by class four the financial strain was almost unbearable. At the nick of time the Director of Meru Saleem Academy intervened and offered to cater for my school fees and reading materials through to class eight due to exemplary performance. Owing to the goodwill and motivation I worked smart and emerged the top girl in eastern province with 438 marks in KCPE in 2006.

By God`s grace I managed to get a scholarship with  Jomo Kenyatta Foundation to The Kenya High School. I did not relent. At the end of the four years, I had been chosen a leader( head of House, Suswa) and still emerged with an A of 84 points in KCSE in 2010, best student in Business Studies in the country and Position 7 in the top ten girls nationally hence earning internship at Equity Bank.

Currently am pursuing a Bsc. in Economics at the University of Nairobi

In a nutshell I owe my success to above all God, motivation from family, friends, relatives my SPONSORS, JKF & WORKING SMART Parting shot.

Take charge of your destiny and be the very best that you can. Never, ever give up.