Wilson Wamae
Financial Analyst
MY JOURNEY - Growing Up with Limited Means
I come from a financially disadvantaged family. My mother was a widow and worked as a casual labourer to provide for our family. I am one of six siblings, and the financial challenges we faced made it difficult for some of my siblings to complete high school.
I attended St. Mary’s Boys High School through a partial scholarship and support from well-wishers. Even with this assistance, school fees remained a major challenge. I was sometimes sent home because of fee arrears, and during school holidays, I had to work on the farm and take care of animals.
The Dream of University
Despite the challenges I faced, I performed well in my final high school examinations. However, my family could not afford to finance my university education.
In 2008 and 2009, Pastor John Macere learned about my situation and organized fundraisers that enabled me to join the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
An Interrupted Journey
During my second and third years at university, I continued to struggle with fees. I accumulated unpaid fees and was unable to complete my studies.
In 2017, my sister was diagnosed with cervical cancer and sadly passed away in early 2018. During this difficult period, I remained unable to graduate, and eventually spent eight years without completing my university education.
Another Chance to Finish
RFI Foundation followed up on my situation and raised $3,000 to help clear my outstanding university fees and hostel costs.
This support revived my pursuit of a career in financial management. I secured an internship at the university and was awaiting graduation in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted my plans.
Moving Forward
Following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, RFI Foundation provided me with transitional housing and monthly upkeep.
My journey has been marked by financial challenges and interruptions, but the support I received from RFI gave me another opportunity to continue pursuing my education and my goal of becoming a financial manager.
I remain grateful to RFI Foundation for standing with me throughout my journey and helping me keep my educational and professional aspirations alive.