Kirimo Johnston – Awarded scholarship to Aga Khan Academy 2011

Kesho graduate, Johnston Kirimo, has been awarded a 95% scholarship to undertake the International Baccalaureate Diploma at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.  This is an amazing opportunity for Kirimo as he will be exposed to a very different curriculum and international experience.  It was a tough interview process, but he prepared well and deserved his success.  He will spend the next 2 years at the Aga Khan and then take up his place at a Kenyan University in 2013 (unless he gets a scholarship to a university overseas in the mean time – it wouldn’t surprise us!).

Kirimo came from a very poor rural background and is the only boy from that school who has ever done well enough to earn a place at one of the top National secondary schools in Kenya. 

We asked him:
What have been the most significant influences in your life so far….
“I was originally motivated by an educational officer who visited the school many years ago, when I was in class 1 or 2.  He told us we were all stupid and lazy because we were from the rural coast.  I was so affronted and angry that from that moment on I was determined to prove him wrong.

When I got offered a place at Lenana Secondary School my dream had come true but there was no way my family could afford to send me.  If it hadn’t been for KESHO I’d have never been able to go.  Once I got to Lenana secondary school I’ve been really positively motivated – at school and at  Kesho we are always reminded that we’re the best and we really learn to believe in ourselves.”

What will you be doing while you wait to take up your place? he explained…
“I’ll be helping out at my old primary school, giving extra tuition and also being a positive role model to them – the kids there will really benefit from learning about what amazing opportunities are out there for them if they work hard.  It doesn’t matter if you’re from the coast or from a poor family – if I can do it, so can they.”  

The international baccalaureate (IB) programme is an internationally recognised diploma offered by accredited institutions across the world.  The IB prepares students for university education by imparting useful skilss such as critical thinking, research and project work as well as exposing students to a variety of other life skills.