- For Baya, the english programme has inspired him to pursue a public speaking career and morph into a good orator in the future.
- His father Abdallah Sanchera said he is surprised to see his son speak fluent english and improve academically.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Obstacles are for winners and excuses for losers, says Bemeri Vura Baya, a beneficiary of the English Access Microscholarship programme in Kwale.
Two years ago, Baya lacked confidence in public speaking and registered poor grades but now his performance has improved tremendously, thanks to the US embassy-sponsored English programme.
The programme has transformed the lives of 42 other students who have acquired leadership skills, broaden intellectual capacity and improve academically.
It is implemented by the donors and Samba Sports Youth Agenda, a Kwale youth affairs organisation based in Kombani.
According to SSYA partnership advisor Mohammed Mwachausa, the programme seeks to improve the students' mastery of English, computer studies and nurture talents.
The English Access programme was launched in 2020 targeting to empower and provide scholarship opportunities to needy learners in Kwale high schools.
For Baya, the English programme has inspired him to pursue a public speaking career and morph into a good orator in the future.
His dream is to be a great leader and a motivator like former US President Barack Obama.
Baya is a Form Four student at Kombani Secondary School and will be sitting his KCSE exam in December.
Before joining the programme Baya had no big aspirations in life and always viewed himself as a big loser.
"I feel like I have achieved a lot because the programme came as a redemption for my academic life," he said.
The 22-year-old said since his enrollment while in Form Two he has made great strides, something he never ever thought of.
Baya's performance has significantly improved he is one picking positions 1-6 from the previous 30-40 in-class exams.
In the last exams before breaking for the election holiday he scooped position two in a class of 200 students.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
The candidate believes nothing is impossible if people can learn through their mistakes and allow themselves to be corrected.
He has also earned himself several leadership positions in his school. He is currently the school head boy and a member of several learning improvement programmes.
Baya says he was introduced to the English Access programme by his teachers.
"When the programme was rolled out, the teachers identified weak and poor performing students and I was one of them," he said.
According to Baya he could barely speak and write proper English but through a lot of sacrifices and perseverance, the improvements are now evident.
Co-founder of the Organisation For Creative Leadership and chairperson of Intellectual Literacy and Leadership Programme Amani Nuri said Kwale students are performing poorly due to a lack of a good command of the English language.
Through the programme the schools are equipped with learning materials, computers and libraries to promote studies and research activities.
Mwayeya Abdallah from Ng'ombeni Secondary School is another beneficiary with a similar success story of transformation.
He said two years of learning the effective English language is not a joke but he is glad to have moved from failure to success.
"I used to fail in exams because I never understood the questions, English was a big problem," he said.
Mwayeya who is also KCSE candidate is now registering good grades since he enrolled in the programme.
His father Abdallah Sanchera said he is surprised to see his son speak fluent English and improve academically.
"I am always startled hearing my son speak good English with a lot of confidence in public. It never happened before," Abdallah said.
Mwayeya wants to be a teacher. He said he loves imparting knowledge to others and would want to transform lives through education.
However, he says he had to face a lot of criticism from friends while trying to improve his English.
"In Kwale many find it weird when you speak English in public and they will laugh at you hysterically, something that is not easy to bear for the faint-hearted," he said.
English Access Microscholarship teacher from Kombani Secondary School Evans Nyamawi hails the programme and says it has boosted students' morale and discipline.
He said it exposes learners to community service activities and leadership roles and many have become responsible.
"Before this programme students had low self-esteem but there are great changes since many have taken leadership roles within and outside the school," he said.
Muganda Centrine, a teacher at Ng'ombeni Secondary School, who teaches digital literacy under the programme said EAM exposes students to ICT skills.
He said the skills have helped them manoeuvre the digital world and improve their knowledge of English through research.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
