she had scored 259 out of 300 marks. Not
bad for someone brought up in the middle
of nowhere where she plans to return in due
course to help her people.
Now, Mike. He appeared at my gate as
a rather young 15-year-old, asking for
sponsorship. Talking to him identified a
keen interest in music, so I agreed to help
him on the proviso that his academic grades
improved. They didn’t, and at the end of
the year, I stopped his sponsorship. He
then came back the next half term with a
letter from his headmaster asking someone
for help as his mother (he has no idea who
his father is) had disappeared (no one has
any idea yet what has happened to her).
So, I helped him get to the end of the term,
when he appeared again with an even worse
report.
But Mike had excelled at primary school and
was clearly bright, so one of my university
sponsorees tutored him during the holiday
and reported that he was bright but
unmotivated. So, I told him he wouldn’t be
going back to his old school, and used some
of the material the Character Development
Trust has created to try and instil in him
some positive characteristics.
Mike in his school uniform
inspiration – very many of the children
in the Nairobi schools the Trust works in
are orphans because of HIV/Aids or have
no idea who their father might be. It’s a
constant surprise to me how well adjusted
many of these youngsters are, given the
poverty in which they are brought up
and the lack of opportunities they must
overcome. The human spirit is remarkable.
Mike (in his new school uniform) is now at a
different school where he will receive more
personal attention as well as music lessons.
He has responded well to a more motivating
environment and will benefit from the
smaller classes his new school provides.
Unfortunately for him, but like most
youngsters at Kenyan boarding schools, he
must start studying at 6.00 am (no, that’s not
a misprint) and doesn’t get to bed until 10.00
pm. Fortunately, there’s also some sport –
but not cricket.
Please get in touch if you would like to:
[email protected].
Julian Ince,
(Q, 1958-61)
Many bright young people in this part of the
world must make do with achieving a lot
less than they would be able to in a country
such as the UK. Many, such as Mike, have
no role models to provide guidance and
27