The Transformational Work of Scholarships

The Transformational Work of Scholarships

In 2014, Marafiki, Inc. embarked on a transformation journey by awarding its first high school scholarships to two students from Musembe Primary School in Bungoma County, Kenya. With a clear and powerful mission, to use education as a vehicle for transformation, the organization set out to uplift students from a deeply impoverished and marginalized community. They selected the top-performing boy and girl based on Grade 8 cumulative exam scores, offering them a path to continue their education through high school. Until that moment, no student from the school had ever advanced beyond primary education. By creating this opportunity, Marafiki sparked hope, motivation, and the possibility of lasting change for the students and their wider community.

Musembe Primary School, founded in 2003, stood at the heart of one of the poorest regions in the Ndalu area of Bungoma County. Most of its students came from homes led by single mothers or grandparents, often grandmothers, who survived on just $1 to $2 a day, if that was all. With basic survival already a struggle, paying school fees posed an even greater burden.

By 2011, the school had hit its lowest point, recording the poorest Grade 8 exam scores in the entire country. When Marafiki arrived a few years later, they found a school barely hanging on, with only 120 students enrolled, a demoralised staff, and a community that had lost hope. Some residents had even called for the school’s closure. Infrastructure was almost non-existent, with just one permanent building; the rest consisted of makeshift classrooms built from mud walls, dirt floors, and rusting tin roofs.

Yet, amidst this hardship, Marafiki’s leaders recognised potential. They felt a clear calling to support this school and its struggling community, to listen, learn, and discover how they might begin transforming despair into progress. What started as an act of compassion soon developed into a mission of educational renewal and community transformation.

Daniel Mukinisu became the first boy to receive a Marafiki high school scholarship, but not without first experiencing heartbreak. Coming from a deeply impoverished household led by a single mother struggling to meet even her children’s most basic needs, Daniel had little reason to believe in a future beyond primary school. When the first scholarship was awarded to the highest-scoring girl, Daniel returned home devastated. For days he wept, not out of jealousy, but from the crushing realisation that education, his only hope, might slip through his fingers.

When Marafiki’s lead coordinator learned about Daniel’s distress, she quickly contacted her Kenyan colleagues and gathered support from international donors. Within a day, they obtained full funding for Daniel’s high school education. The very next morning, Daniel eagerly and hurriedly went to school, prepared to start the next chapter of his life.

He was placed at a boys’ secondary school far from home, but he wasn’t alone. His former teachers and local community members ensured he stayed connected and supported. At school, Daniel thrived. With three regular meals, access to healthcare, and a safe place to live, he began to realise his full potential. However, every school break revealed a stark contrast. At home, there was no food and no medical care. He often returned to school sick and malnourished. His former teachers stepped in, bringing food during breaks and leaving money for medicine when needed.

Throughout all this, Daniel’s determination never wavered. Marafiki’s leaders acknowledged his perseverance and natural leadership. He became a distinguished student, respected by his teachers, admired by his peers, and recognised for his consistent academic achievements.

By the end of high school, Daniel achieved a B+ on his national exams, an extraordinary feat considering his hardships. However, as one challenge was resolved, another arose. When he returned home after his final exams, he discovered that his mother had sold the family’s land and house and vanished without a trace. Homeless and alone, Daniel sought out his brother and eventually found him in a nearby town, where he was staying with an aunt. But her home was already overcrowded; she couldn’t accommodate him.

Desperate and with nowhere else to turn, Daniel reached out to Mama Rose Muhanji, a respected community leader and member of the local women’s group that mentored students at Musembe. She and her husband, John, had long served as Marafiki’s dedicated mentoring parents, offering guidance and support to all scholarship recipients. Their farm had become more than just a home; it was a sanctuary for students during school holidays, a place of stability, nourishment, and care. Without hesitation, Mama Rose went to find Daniel, brought him to their home, and provided him with a room, regular meals, and a small stipend for helping with chores. Daniel spent most of his school holidays there, gradually becoming part of the family. Today, he considers Mama Rose and John not just mentors, but his parents.

Thanks to his impressive performance in the national exams, Daniel gained direct entry into the Kenyan university system, a significant achievement for a student from such a disadvantaged background. He decided to pursue a degree in high school teacher education, specialising in English and literature. However, with this new milestone came another challenge: how to afford university. Recognising his dedication and academic abilities, Marafiki’s leadership swiftly stepped in to secure full funding for his four years of study. Daniel accepted the opportunity with deep gratitude and a firm promise that he would not let his supporters down.

Throughout university, Daniel lived up to that promise. He worked hard, remained focused, and consistently excelled in his courses. During holidays, he returned to the Muhanji’s farm, contributing to the household, helping with chores, and staying fully engaged in the life of his adopted family. He also kept giving back to Musembe Primary School, returning to mentor students, share his story, and tutor those preparing for exams. His presence became a powerful source of inspiration.

In December 2022, Daniel graduated with a degree in education specialising in English literature. The celebration was meaningful, held in his honour and attended by his adoptive parents, Marafiki leaders, close friends, and many of the teachers who first nurtured his potential. Today, Daniel is not only a practising high school English teacher but also an emerging writer. His debut poetry collection, Unspoken Words, has already received praise from readers, and he is currently working on his first novel.

Daniel’s journey signifies more than personal achievement; it has helped spark a schoolwide transformation. Since his first scholarship, Musembe Primary School has experienced a remarkable turnaround. Once a school on the verge of closure, it now features permanent classrooms, a well-kept playing field, and a renewed sense of pride. Academic results have improved significantly, and Musembe is now recognised as one of the top primary schools in Bungoma County.

The scholarship programme has become a key driver of this transformation. Students now study with a clear aim: to secure one of the highly sought-after secondary school scholarships. In response, teachers have become more committed, dedicating time and effort to both academic teaching and student well-being. The wider community, once disillusioned, now actively engages in the school’s development, assisting with fundraising, providing skills and labour for improvement projects, and turning up to support students and teachers alike.

Since Daniel’s time, many more students have received scholarships and gone on to university, further enhancing their families’ and communities’ well-being. And for current Musembe students, Daniel is more than just a name in a story; he is living proof that someone from their school, from their struggles, can rise, thrive, and give back.

What started as a modest effort to assist a few primary school graduates in continuing their education has expanded into a source of hope and transformation for an entire community. The Marafiki scholarship programme now serves as a living example of how targeted support, long-term commitment, and a belief in young people’s potential can change lives — not only for individuals but also for families and entire villages.

With more sponsors coming forward, each pledging $600 yearly over four years, the programme is set to broaden its reach. This steady support enables not only more Musembe students to access high school but also to fund their university studies, providing a seamless path from primary education to university graduation.

This success is not solely due to financial support. The program thrives because of its holistic approach, which includes consistent family involvement, active mentoring, follow-up from community leaders like Mama Rose and John Muhanji, as well as structured academic support during school holidays. This effective combination has led to an exceptional outcome: nearly every student who receives a Marafiki scholarship has completed high school, and many have continued into higher education.

In every sense, Marafiki continues to embody its mission: using education as a tool for transformation. The ripple effect is clear; Musembe’s students now dream bigger, study harder, and envisage a future once deemed impossible. Teachers teach with renewed purpose. Families rally behind their children’s education. And sponsors worldwide see firsthand how their contributions create lasting change.

Marafiki’s work in Musembe is not just about education. It is about restoring dignity, nurturing hope, and demonstrating that, with the right support, even the most vulnerable children can become leaders, professionals, and changemakers in their communities.

Written by: Eloise Hockett and John Muhanji

Daniel Mukinisu with his sponsor