Josephat Kibui Gitau’s dream of becoming a teacher, conceived after his KCSE in 2012, seemed impossible for a boy raised in Gakui village. Unable to even clear a fee balance to collect his result slip from Makwa Secondary, Kibui initially embraced the life of a village hustler, splitting his time between a butchery, riding a boda-boda, and a small KSh 4,500 teaching job at a local academy.
Kibui’s turning point came from an unlikely source: a Mother’s Union meeting. His mother met Rosemary Kirika, then a master’s student and now the Kiambu Deputy Governor, who heard Kibui’s story.
Kirika mobilised a team of six villagers who raised KSh 200,000, enough for Kibui’s first two years at Kenyatta University. The remaining funds were strategically invested in two calves for his mother, whose eventual sale paid for an additional year of fees. Despite the support, campus life was a struggle, with Kirika sending him KSh 100 daily for expenses.
Against all odds, Kibui graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Arts) in 2016.
The graduate’s initial hopes for an instant job were dashed, leading him back to the village and his uncle’s motorbike. However, his first short-lived job in Nairobi did enable him to take a KSh 75,000 loan to enrol his younger sister in university, fulfilling a promise.
After returning to the village, mounting community pressure drove him to seek opportunities again. His perseverance paid off when he secured a government posting at Kiarithaini High School in Nyeri, finally realizing his lifelong dream.
Success has not diminished Kibui’s gratitude. He started a youth charity group in Gakui. Moved by a young boy’s story that mirrored his own, Kibui rallied friends to raise funds using the same model that had supported him. That boy is now a JKUAT graduate.
Deputy Governor Kirika, who was deeply touched by Kibui’s journey, describes his success as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and generosity.
“Today I’m an employed teacher who has also helped change lives,” Kibui states, completing his inspiring journey from beneficiary to benefactor and community pillar.
