Tom Oguro will graduate from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in June 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce

I am Wanjala Tom Oguro, the son of Albert Ojiambo and Sifirosa Sere. I was born on July 24, 1992 in Muramba village, Busia county, Kenya. I am the youngest of eight children, three of whom are deceased. My mother told me that during the time of her pregnancy there was a great season of famine in Africa. My given name, Wanjala, means famine in our local language. During the pregnancy, my mother had little to eat and my birth was a difficult one. I developed a persistent cough. After a year, I was admitted to a mission hospital nearby. Due to the cost of medical care and my parents’ poverty, I was taken back home without a diagnosis. My condition persisted and I was unable to walk until the age of six. It was then discovered that I had spasms in the chest and lumbar spine that led to the formation of growths on the spinal cord.

At 12 years of age, I was able to go to school for the first time. In 2004, I attended Muramba Primary School, beginning at standard one. I did well at school and completed standard eight in 2011. Because of this I was offered a chance to go to one of the best national schools in the country, Friends School Kamusinga. My father was lame and my mother bedridden from a stroke, so they did not have the money to send me. Instead, I attended a public day school, Sigalame High School, due to the generosity of well-wishers through fundraisers called harambees. I continued to work hard in high school. Finally, I sat for my final examination in 2015. After receiving A-, I qualified for university.

During my first year of university, it was very difficult for me to take care of my parents while studying and finding money for university fees and expenses that I was required to pay. I could barely manage to afford a single meal in a day. Due to these prevailing financial constraints, I was forced to make a decision to discontinue my studies indefinitely. It was at this time that I heard about ACCES from one of my friends. The friend told me how ACCES has helped impoverished students fulfill their dreams. I visited the ACCES office at Milimani in Kakamega to find out more. At the ACCES office, I received a warm welcome from the staff. I explained my situation and felt that they understood and cared. They gave me a form to apply for the scholarship. In the application I said: “In the future, I will contribute to society by assisting those in need, as I am now. When I see disabled children begging in the streets, I know that, without this opportunity, that could be me.”

As I sit and reflect on my journey, I find solace in ACCES. I was so fortunate to be selected for scholarship. My dream of being an accountant will now be fulfilled, as I will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in June 2021. It is such an honor and blessing. I am the only one in my family who has been able to go to university. I thank the ACCES donors for their heartfelt assistance towards making my dream come true. My family and I are so grateful! Thank you and may God bless you as you continue helping others who are needy, helping them fulfill their dreams.

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