Sitting in the lounge area at the Student Centre, taking in the strong aroma of fried chicken from the cafeteria, Amou Teng, an International Student from South Sudan, takes a walk down memory lane of her journey pursuing Diploma in Business Management at Strathmore University.

Just before we began our interview, her former classmates, who have begun their undergraduate course, passed by, excited to see her with the hopes that she too, is continuing with education at Strathmore University. She responds in the affirmative and her friends do a victory dance as she shooed them away.

“ I joined Strathmore University on a Macheo scholarship, which gave me the opportunity to pursue a Diploma in Business Management. It has been a wonderful experience. Any unit that was taught by Abraham and Wilfred, were classes that I thoroughly enjoyed and could never miss. These were the best lecturers for their passion and mode of delivery were exceptional making one look forward to the next class. I took a keen interest in Principle of Economics, Business law and Finance, Project management as learning about them was fascinating.

Accounting was hard. From grasping the concepts in theory of mathematics to economics… and to make matters worse, the classes were in the afternoon. Phew! But we survived.

I will not retake or resit any unit! This mantra that I lived by pushed me to study hard and ace my examination. It took frequent consultation with lecturers to ensure that I understood. I had an amazing friendship circle that was very supportive in this academic journey as we had group discussion and lunch dates at the gazebos and STC just to make sure that we all understood the concepts. “Leave no man behind.” On 22nd November, we carry home our hard earned Diploma.

Making impact

Without financial support from Macheo, I would not have experienced the  #ServiceToSociety, a pillar that Strathmore University is continuously striving to achieve as we all must endeavor towards being change agents by  enhancing, impacting and uplifting those from disadvantaged backgrounds. I received academic tutoring, personal mentoring and character formation and development that has helped navigate school life and emerged stronger and better equipped to transition into the work space. As a way of giving back to society, I now mentor children, our next generation. Often, I joined the Community Outreach Program (COP) traveling to various parts of the country to mentor children and young adults. From cooking, to cleaning, to sporty activities, to making merry… nothing pleases one’s heart more than touching somebody else’s life.

What are your plans after graduating?

Not only am I excited to graduate but also, I am excited to begin my undergraduate degree here at Strathmore University as I hope to join and pursue a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.

Thank you to the Financial Aid Office and the Macheo Program for making my educational experience worthwhile.

This article was written by Jemmy Kamau.