Joseph Yaa Kahindi is the firstborn in a family of five. He is the son of a widower, a fisherman in Mtwapa, Kilifi County.
Joseph says his father is hardworking, but he can no longer make enough money from fishing to provide for the family. He struggles to keep the children in school and meet their basic needs.
From an early age, Joseph sought odd jobs to earn money to supplement what his father brought home.
After Joseph completed primary school, his father enrolled him at a local technical college for a motor vehicle mechanics course. The young man was the family’s hope. The father invested all he had in his education. But it was never enough and he still lacked fees.
“It was not easy paying fees. I had to look for casual jobs to try and pay on my own because my father could not afford to pay,” says Joseph. “I often missed classes so that I could work double shifts. This affected my performance since I didn’t have enough time to study and attend classes.”
But the situation changed after Joseph got a scholarship from the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-Economic Development Project (KEMFSED).
“The scholarship has changed my life … This is the first time in my life that I have been able to concentrate on my studies without thinking about doing casual. This scholarship will enable me to chase my dreams and achieve my goals. I hope to finish my studies, start my own business and help my family and my community.”
Joseph is among 150 beneficiaries from five counties who have received scholarships worth a total of over six million shillings from the KEMFSED project over the past year. The scholarship scheme is administered through the counties. It is part of the project’s efforts to build local capacities to improve the people’s livelihoods in Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, and Lamu.
Under the scheme, the participating counties competitively award 10 scholarships each for high school, certificate, and diploma courses annually. The scholarships are part of the interventions in Component 2 of the KEMFSED Project