Dream turn true

Hello everyone,

I am Wilkister Ahinga from Kenya, I am lit up by life and people. I am asking for support to help me pursue a degree in community development at United States International University in Kenya so I can become a leader in women’s health in my community. I have a diploma in project planning and management. I am inspired to make a difference in the world and know that with this education I have much to bring to my family and my community.

I lost my parents at a young age and I take care of my little sister who is taking her O' level exams (middle school) this year. It has been a tough journey for us to make sure she gets a quality education, as well. She has overcome every challenge that has been thrown in her way.

We have both lived in extremely difficult situations in the slums of Nairobi where rape, crime, school dropouts early pregnancies and are rampant. To survive here we have needed to develop a hard skin, especially, when we struggle having steady work, with little support while having to pay bills and raise school fee for my siblings.

I had lost hope before, but I now know that I have great potential and I am looking forward to going to university to have the knowledge and skills to not only set a good example for my baby sister, but also for other girls and women in my community.

I’m passionate about reproductive health because in my community, parents don't talk to their children about sexuality. Because of this, many girls I know have become depressed because they don't understand their own development and have a drop their performances at school. I’ve seen many girls dear to me dropping out of school, getting pregnant, and even getting married at really young age.

I have all the qualities needed to succeed. I am purposeful, resilient, and a person with integrity. For the past five years I have been supporting my community by offering workshops: computer skills, life skills, and entrepreneurship skills. I am also artistic; I write poetry. I am committed to teaching girls about life skills so they can have better lives. In 2012, I earned a college diploma in (project planning and management) thanks to the support of college friends and mentors. I founded Star Initiative a community-based organization to mentor girls who are in high school and train them in reproductive health. This University degree will allow me to take my organization to the next level and serve one hundred girls and I would love to help them to continue with education. With my university degree I can put my knowledge, skill to the service of inspiring other girls and women in my community.

I am fundraising a total of $30,000 which will cover the four years to the completion of my degree:

Tuition fees- $20,000

Transport- $3,000

Accommodation - $4,800

Stationaries - $1,000

Laptop - $600

Medical insurance- $480

The possibility that I have invented for myself is to be authentic, have integrity, free my heart from hatred, free my mind from worries, live simply, give more, expect less and enjoy every moment.

I’m thankful for whatever amount you can contribute!

It's people like you that change the world!

We will create the change

It starts within me

Only If I believe

Change will come

Our life depends on it.

Never hesitate, nor regret

For you are in debt

For this change.

--Wilkister Ahinga, 2011

Purpose of living.

I walk across the forest,

To rest under the shade,

All I can feel is the breeze coming from the sea,

Birds singing beautifully,

I can smell the scents of flower,

The swaying of the branches and whistling of the winds,

Beauty relaxed me,

As creatures in nature that is life,

We must always be determined to get there,

No matter how hot it is when you are exposed to sun,

The taste of sweat that comes out is salt but at the end it will be sweet,

When we get on the top of mountain,

Time may pass, determination and hard work is all that we need.

Many trees are planted at the same place to make the forest,

To be happy under the shade we need company,

We need to go with someone up there,

That will show us we have accomplished our purpose on this earth,