A Second Chance at School: How Ismail Overcame Grief and Found His Path

“After my dad passed away, it seemed like there was no point in doing anything. I refused to go back to school, but my family didn’t give up on me, and neither did MOHI," Ismail said, remembering the care and support that he received from MOHI and from his family when he needed it the most.

Ismail was born and raised in the Kiamaiko slums, where he lived with five siblings and both his parents. Life in Kiamaiko was tough. Although both his parents had jobs, they didn’t always make enough to keep Ismail and his younger brother, who were the only two of school-going age, in school. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, his school would hold a morning assembly where all the students who had not paid their school fees would be asked to go home. As a result, Ismail would only go to school twice a week when there was no morning assembly, and he could sneak in without being kicked out. Even though things were tough, Ismail was determined to get an education.

Things changed when his mother passed away. He found it difficult to concentrate in class. His grades began to slip. He eventually became so discouraged that he decided to drop out of school entirely. His relatives, however, did not give up on him. They would regularly try and convince him to go back to school.

Eventually, they managed to convince him to go back, but Ismail had been out of school for a long time. He was far behind his classmates and would not be allowed to progress with them. He decided to turn a new leaf in a new school. He applied for two different schools but failed the entry exams and no school took him in. It felt like the world was against him, and he was left stuck. However, God knew what Ismail was in need of. His cousins and friends began to tell him about Missions of Hope International (MOHI). They told him about the social workers who visit the community.

One day, while a MOHI social worker was visiting some students at their homes, Ismail’s father met them and told them about Ismail's story. He narrated to the social worker that Ismail was in need of hope and for a school to take a chance on him. The social worker knew that all Ismail needed to get back on his feet was a little hope.

It wasn’t long before Ismail was admitted into our Kiamaiko Center. However, because of how long he was out of school, he could not join Grade 7 with his peers; instead, he joined Grade 5. Though he was older than his classmates, he was grateful to be in school and determined to begin his future. The next year, an opportunity availed itself for him to join our Ndovoini center. Ismail became a boarding student, enjoying three meals a day and all the support he needed spiritually and emotionally to get him through primary school.

During this time, his grades really improved. Soon he finished primary school, and it was time to join high school. "By the time I was going to high school, my grades had doubled. I was very proud of myself." Ismail was accepted into high school, and MOHI sponsored his education.

It was meant to be Ismail’s first day of high school. He stood at the gates of his new boarding school with all that he needed to start this new chapter. While he was checking in, he realized that he had forgotten the keys to his padlock that locked his metallic suitcase that all students in boarding schools usually have. For some reason, Ismail insisted on going back home and reporting the next day instead. It was as though God was guiding his steps, because when he got home, he saw his father for the last time. The next day, his father passed away. Once more, Ismail’s world seemed to be falling apart.

Ismail’s social worker kept in touch with him during this trying time. "I struggled in my first year of high school. I didn’t see the point in being in school when my dad passed away. Everything felt pointless." High school was hard for Ismail, and he worried that he might not have the strength to finish.

This was when all the teachings he had learned while at MOHI’s Ndovoini center came back to him. He remembered accepting Jesus into his heart and getting baptized while there. He remembered MOHI’s CEO, Dr. Wallace Kamau, speaking to them every Wednesday and Saturday, encouraging them. He remembered Ecclesiastes 9:11, that reminded him that time and chance happen to all. Ismail decided to take his chance, and he finished high school.

After high school, during the gap year before all high school graduates start college, Ismail again decided to take his time and chance. He came to MOHI’s offices to look for Dr. Wallace once again for advice. While they talked, he was encouraged to apply for an internship so he could make some extra money to start university. Ismail was determined to make a life for himself, and he knew the best way to do that was to get an education.

Ismail started in MOHI’s Mentorship department, working to encourage students just like he was encouraged. Later, he transferred to the clinic at Pangani Center, where he worked as an administrative assistant. While there, he fell in love with administration work and business management which led him to join college and start his two year diploma in Business Studies. While working at MOHI, he learned about some of the programs MOHI provides to help their employees further their education. He applied for a loan to help him start off the course.

With the salary that he receives, he has been able to pay for his loan and the rest of his school fees, as well as keep a livelihood. Now, Ismail is set to graduate with his diploma at the end of 2024. "I won’t stop here. I plan on continuing and getting a degree," he says. His dream is to get a degree in Economics and Statistics and become a financial analyst.

MOHI believed in Ismail when himself and others didn’t. He was nurtured in his relationship with God that gave him all that he needed to get through the toughest of times and not give up on himself or on life.