Harriet’s Life Journey with critical support by GTL when she needed it most

“Your future is never determined by your background” they always say (I see you Dr. James Mwangi)

But let’s be frank, sometimes you look back at your family background and just feel like your future is barricaded by your present condition, your family’s conditions and even your grandparents’ or even your great great great grandparents’ conditions…you just feel pessimistic about the very future that is controlled by how much your pocket weighs or the connections you have.

Growing up from a humble beginning, the future to me was nothing but a dream I fantasized about during those (ahem) boring high school or primary school classes. I wanted to do something big and be someone great but did not know what to do to accomplish this. All I knew was that I had to be the very best in primary school and high school and as my mom constantly said to me, opportunities would come knocking at the doors of only those who were successful. To accomplish this, I worked extremely hard in primary school and received a sponsorship throughout my High School and thanks to Growth Through Learning, I did not have to worry about my tuition fees (what even is tuition fees). I am always incredibly thankful for the amount of help and support your provided to the once hopeless me (Shout out to Richard thank you).

Having had my high school fees paid, all that remained was hope — hope that I would be able to accomplish my dream to become someone (but I had no clear idea who). Yes, I went through high school and graduated with a good grade but I was extremely worried and anxious of what laid ahead of me. Will I ever afford to go to college? I constantly wondered. Naturally, my dad would be like “don’t worry harriet, when that time comes we will know”. That time did come and trust me…we did not know (I still love you dad though).

In my moment of frustration with that very unfair world that kept me in my toes of my own future, Equity Bank Kenya thanks to its ‪#‎EquityScholars program came to me with an amazing offer. An offer and opportunity that I am forever thankful for. The once hopeless me became hopeful. Hopeful of a future that was nothing but a dream. Hopeful that life was not unfair, NOPE, life was preparing me to come to terms of my own potential. To train me and prepare me for that very amazing future that lay in front of me. Little did I know that my dreams and fantasies would become a reality.

Today, I stand in front of you (for those who can’t see me standing…I apologize) as a testimony that your future does really not depend on your background or past failures or your great great great grandparents’ failures. Nope, your future is dependent on your own hardwork and how you use that very “bad” background to your own benefit. So, dear beloved patient readers (special shout out to: Anne, Huldah, Edwin) go out there and fight for your own future and don’t let your past and background define your future!