Varsity students set a good example for others to follow

More often than not, people turn a blind eye to the task of helping the needy in the society, leaving that responsibility to churches and non-governmental organizations who do it as part of their corporate social responsibility.

However, a group of Maseno University students have taken up the responsibility of improving the lives of the less fortunate in their community, around the campus and at their home places.

It is touching to imagine that students with no income can choose to use the little allowances they get from their guardians to assist those that are less privileged.

Moses Tumbo, a third year student is one of these students. He is the chairman of Chapo Fest Foundation, an organization which specializes in helping in a unique way.

“We choose to make our change by visiting children’s home and cooking chapati for the children as we interact and have fun with them,” says Mr. Tumbo.

He speaks passionately about his organization and the five places they have visited so far including Compassionate Home for the disabled in Ruai, Nairobi and Julius and Dora children’s home in Maseno.

“We recently organized a campaign called 88 for class 8 in partnership with Arise African Child Foundation and other groups in Maseno aimed at buying 88 geometrical sets for all the class eight students at Maseno Mixed Primary School,” he adds.

He says that they ended up raising 102 sets and that their motto is ‘Charity with empowerment.’

Mr. Tumbo is not alone in his quest to leave a mark in the society.

He is joined by Ezra Maingi, a fourth year student and chairman of Rays of Hope Foundation.

His organization helps in differently by raising school fees for bright but needy High school students.

“Our organization was started about a year ago in Machakos but we have started a group in Maseno which partnered in the 88 for class 8 campaign,” says Mr. Maingi.

He adds that they have raised about Ksh 100,000 in school fees through the help of well-wishers, and they are working on another project in Maseno.

To add on to these, yet another group called Compassions of Maseno carries on the work of charity with their motto being, “giving back to society.”

Moses Thumbi, a fourth year student who is the former chairman and now a member of the group started while he was in second year with some of his friends.

“We visit children’s homes around Maseno during the weekends and take anything we can spare including shopping and foodstuff,” he says adding that his group contributes Ksh100 per member every time they meet.

The group has gone the extra mile by regularly visiting Ebukuya School for the hearing-impaired which led to the start of sign language classes for the members to help them communicate with the children in this school.

So far, they have visited Mercy Home, Mescals Centre of Hope, Ebukuya School for the hearing impaired and Julius and Dora children’s home.

Mr. Charles Buyengo, the founder and manager of Mercy home, which is a children’s home for girls commends the good work Maseno University students have done by visiting his home and encouraging the girls.

These groups came together to conduct the biggest charity event in Maseno when they successfully purchased 100 mattresses and blankets for Ebukuya School for the hearing impaired after a visit from the Compassions of Maseno group revealed that they needed help. They did this by involving other Maseno students and donors. They used social media to spread their message to all Kenyans with twitter hashtags such as # I Support Ebukuya.

They went to celebrate with the students of Ebukuya on 28^th January 2017 where they held a Chappo Festival and ate with them.

“Currently we are working on a project to buy desks for Esibila Primary School because most of them seat on the floor,” Mr. Maingi says. He adds that they want to buy at least 150 desks before they are done with school this year.