News: Oscar's story - How ASSETS helped me

Oscar Mwaro, one of the first students to benefit from the ASSETS Eco- scholarship fund, tells his story:

I remember the day I went to collect my Kenya Certificate of Primary Exams results at my former primary school. I had been called to Lenana School, a national level school in Nairobi.

However, my joy was short-lived when my eyes wandered through the fee structure, detailing thousands of shillings. I felt so discouraged. Becoming a secondary school student became an impossible dream due to the fact that my family is financially unstable.

But I gathered my courage and on that very day accompanied by my father, I presented my results to the ASSETS team at Gede Forest Station. They congratulated me and were very impressed by my results.

The ASSETS team interviewed my father about the financial status of my family. He has financial constraints and desperately needed help. Seeing that my father was helpless, the ASSETS team asked him to give the little he had and assured him of looking into his wishes. (ASSETS does not offer a 100% bursary to any student. The parents contribute a percentage and ASSETS provides the remaining amount.)

The ASSETS team further devoted themselves to creating awareness worldwide about Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Mida Creek and their communities. Through this kind of advertisement generous people from all over the world can donate to needy students around the forest and creek.

ASSETS has changed my life. When I look back on my situation in primary school, I see it wasn't an easy one. I had no source of money to rely on and it seemed primary school would never end. Later my teachers were kind enough to pay for me whenever I worked hard. Perhaps that was what encouraged me to be the highest scoring student throughout primary.

Now all this fear, discouragement and uncertainty about completing my secondary school education has gone. ASSETS has stepped in and actively contributes to my academic success. ASSETS has revived my vision and my future looks bright.

Oscar Mwaro