A snapshot of Joster´s academy journey
In today's article, Joster Nicholas share with us his academy journey, thanks to FOMOE and MOET School:
Growing up in a poor family, I never thought I would have the chance to attend school. Despite my interest in education, my family's circumstances made it impossible for me to receive a proper secondary education. Unlike other families who plan and save for their children's education, my family struggled to make ends meet.
Coming from a family that tills land for survival, my mother is an elderly, full-time subsistence farmer. Who does farming just to keep the family afloat? My father is jobless, hence only supporting my mother in farming. And when you are coming from a family that is so big and extended, you scrape for the little available resources. We are nine in our family and I happen to be the last born.
Education wasn’t guaranteed for me. Well! because, in African families, firstborn children are usually given priority for education. Families make sure that in their struggling efforts, they ought to educate firstborn children so that they may pull their siblings when they cross that line.
In my family’s case, that wasn’t what went down. My older siblings managed to get secondary education which did not get them the sustenance we hoped for.
You can see where the hopelessness stemmed from. Until my life took a drastic, near fairy tale melodramatic turn. I got an opportunity at MOET Primary School to continue with my studies in standard 6.
This was a turnaround because the enrolment came with a perk that if I performed well and got selected into a public secondary school all the tuition was going to be taken care of. And I sure did make an effort by making it into one of the finest public secondary schools in Mangochi.
I started my form 1 at Lisumbwi Secondary School in the district. It was surreal seeing myself walking in the secondary school corridors I never pictured myself in. MOET was there providing the full tuition fees, basic groceries, stationery items, and some pocket money which kept me on my feet.
I slashed through classes at the secondary school level, with an insurance that there was continued support even at the tertiary level. The thought of that kept me motivated and I kept my head high, getting good grades until I got an admission into one of the top 3 Universities in Malawi. You heard that right. I worked that hard!
If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.
The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) formerly known as The University of Malawi-The Polytechnic, is that hard to get into. Only the brightest are admitted into that constituent university.
My Uni life began in 2019. And MOET was there beside me, providing me with the financial hand that I desperately needed to get me where I was at that time. The assistance came in the form of tuition fees, monthly stipend, transport allowance, and accommodation allowance (because accommodation is a huge predicament in Malawian Universities.) Which basically translates, to everything was pretty much covered.
I cruised through the four years of the program. And here, as I speak to you I am a full graduate with a BA of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies. And I couldn’t be more prouder of myself than I am right now. When I look at where I am coming from, where I am, and where I envision myself in 5 years. It’s a blessing actuated by the generosity of MOET and its FOMOE partner.
My wish is to alleviate my family's abject poverty to a more resilient level. I would very much love to see myself being able to touch other people’s lives and making a significant difference in their lives as MOET did in mine.
I would like to express my gratitude to our FOMOE partners for their generous donations. Their contributions have made a significant impact on the lives of many students who have the potential to excel academically but lack financial support due to their less privileged backgrounds.
It's heartwarming to see that they are making a difference in the lives of these students. I have always been fascinated by the African proverb, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." This saying emphasizes the importance of working together and helping one another to achieve a common goal. It aligns with the Ubuntu philosophy, which highlights the significance of being compassionate towards others.
Lastly, I would like to extend my blessings to our FOMOE partners.
Thank you for all that you do.