Saturday, September 10, 2016

CES Kenya Alumnus to China

Miracles do happen. In fact for CES in Kenya, they happen as happy occasions and joyful surprises. How else does one explain Mildred's story? 

Mildred Namisoho Wasike, age 19 lives in rural western Kenya. Her family heritage is the Banyala clan of the Luyha people of rural western Kenya. Mildred attended Sidikho SS as a CES Canada sponsored student. She scored the highest grades in the 2015 KCSE exams for the entire Navakholo region. In September 2016 she travels to China with a group of twelve selected Kenyan youth. Mildred has been offered a five year scholarship at Shanghai University of Science and Technology, majoring in Medical Imagining.
Mildred Namisoho Wasike, CES Intern at Sidikho SS
Since 2011, Mildred has been sponsored by CES Canada. Her parents are farmers, growing mostly banana, sugar cane, maize and vegetables. They live on an acre of land, without electricity or running water. A humble background has not deterred Mildred from excelling in her studies.
In her gap year Mildred is working as a CES Kenya Intern, mentoring our students and assisting teachers at Sidikho SS. In this capacity she is a role model. She described a CES student who was discouraged and ready to drop out of school. Mildred began to counsel her and the situation in time was completely reversed. “I began to realize that God has given me the ability to encourage people and make them feel stronger,” she said. 
Mildred Wasike with CES Kenya Patron, Malik Khaemba 
Principal Isa Ramadhan describes her as hard working, committed to her studies, polite and ready to take on this new cross cultural challenge. When asked about travel and studies in China, Mildred said, “I am happy and a little nervous. I look forward to learning in a different culture and I hope to speak a new language soon. God will give me courage and the knowledge I need."
Even though Mildred will be living far away in China, she will always be a part of the CES family of friends. Congratulations and best wishes to this fine young scholar.