Life with Hope; Kyla's Aiducation Story
I’m Kyla Mecha, born and raised in Eldoret town, the city of champions 🏃♀️. Being a firstborn child and the only daughter of my parents, I have always felt the need to work exceedingly hard to be a role model to my two brothers, set bars high for them and promote my family’s well being through my success. Growing up, I saw my parents struggle to make ends meet and sacrifice so much to give us the best they could and wished that one day, I would change our lives, that one day I would make them happy, and that one day, they would look back and say that their great sacrifice was a worth course.
I got the Aiducation scholarship towards the end of my first year of secondary education in 2014. It came at a time when my parents had started having discussions with me about changing to a day school close to home; the local day schools had high dropout rates among other challenges, (who knows what could have happened) as they could no longer afford to keep me in boarding school and at the same time cater for my brothers' upkeep & educational needs. The Aiducation scholarship took a huge burden off my parents' shoulders. It became easier for my younger siblings to get a good education too and for me to concentrate on my studies without having a doubt or worrying about tomorrow. There’s nothing as calming as a sure promise of tomorrow. I finished my high school education with good grades and pursued a degree in nursing for four years.
Other than catering for the educational needs of the students, the Aiducation scholarship also supports its talents by hosting different events/academies which bring them all together including the alumni community.
I remember my very first academy at the end of my Form One. On the first night, after dinner, the alumni who were coordinating the academy came to address us and I remember looking at them and I was filled with admiration. They looked like people who had made it in life and were proud to tell their stories. Realizing that they probably had a tougher background than mine then and myself being in the same position they had been before, gave me a lot of hope and encouragement. I was very encouraged & motivated by their speech. I fell in love with the alumni network from then on and wanted to be part of them, to share my success story, to tell to the world of the goodness & privileges of securing a scholarship with Aiducation and thanked God for such a wonderful opportunity, for having led me to secure a scholarship with Aiducation, through which I would achieve my dreams and also to give hope to other new Aidu fellows, to be a sister, a friend, and a role model. To encourage them and let them know that education is power. Today, I have not only made lifetime friends in the network but also learnt a lot that has shaped me into who I am. From entrepreneurship to leadership, to event planning to basics such as communication. I have built my confidence through networking here and I have had opportunities to attend very eye-opening academies such as the lead yourself academy, start-up academy, renewable energy and urban mobility academy just to mention but a few. The impact Aiducation has had in my life is remarkable and there’s this joy that comes in giving back though for me it’s more than giving back. It’s become a hobby.
Photo: Kyla during the recruitment drive in Kenya for new Aidu-Seekers as a volunteer
After nursing school, I began job hunting and it is during this period that I learnt that there are opportunities for nurses to work abroad. I quickly picked up on this as this meant a better quality of life for my family, better working conditions and also a learning opportunity. I have a couple of ideas in the health sector that I would like to implement in Kenya in the near future to promote better healthcare systems and I’m happy to be here to acquire all the knowledge and skills and of course finances necessary for the implementation.
My experience here is quite different I must say. Culture shock at first, adjusting to the weather and food, and missing family, among others but I’m happy and quite settled in now. It was really interesting to have some Aiducation alumni already in the UK reach out as soon as I arrived in the country to check up on me.
Photo: Kyla with Aiducation alumni from Kenya in UK
This shows the kind of bonds created in the network and how the future is full of surprises. As we always tell our Aidu fellows during their first academies, you might be sitting next to a future president. Seize the opportunity to interact and learn from each other now. What’s interesting is that I applied for my current position using a Cv and cover letter I had just prepared and had it cleaned up during a Corporate Career Academy I had just attended and learnt quite a lot about interview skills. These valuable skills contributed to my successful interview. It was all very timely for me.
Photo: Kyla's Picture in UK
As I mentioned before, I plan on moving back to Kenya after a few years of work because home is where the work is at. Until then I intend to continue being an active member of Aiducation, taking part in anything I can, despite the distance and probably someday, become a donor myself and continue the cycle.
I am not where I want to be yet but I’m happy with the progress thus far and I’m very grateful to Aiducation international for a chance to education and for the huge impact made in my life and I am grateful to my Aidumaker for being part of such a noble course. To my fellow alumni and Aidufellows, education is your weapon and anything is possible. Believe in yourself, trust in the process, put in the work and you’ll get there. It is such an honour being part of this great family 👪
Written by Kyla Mecha - AiduTalent, Kenya