Value Integrity Above All

Sharon Walekhwa and CES Alumnus colleague Ndeda Imbalo at 2016 CES Jiggers Medical Outreach


Integrity through Self-Control: by Sharon Walekhwa: Egerton University


One of the important skills I have learned in the CESCED on-line Leadership Training program is the value of self-control. This year I found myself in a tough spot as I was preparing for my year end exam. I sat for the paper and followed all the exam rules and regulations. Once completed, the lecturer collected the answer booklets and asked the class representative to assist him by carrying them to his office. So I being the one, had to comply.

The lecturer then gave me the class attendant list and requested me to take it to classmates to sign and return it on the same day before 4:00 PM.  It was very difficult locating the students because after the exam, each diverged to his or her own business. The lecturer had not followed protocol. It was his duty to bring the attendance list for all lessons.  As the class leader I just had to do my best. 

Returning to his office to submit the class list, something happened out of my expectation. He offered me a seat and requested me to count the exam booklets. I was not supposed to do that as per the exam rules and regulations. As a responsible leader and knowing well my position, I had to politely and humbly refuse.  It knew that the lecturer had planned to trap me for his own reasons. He was clearly annoyed but he had to respect the rule that I was trying to keep. He filed the booklets and changed the subject matter.

We talked generally about the class performance for the whole semester and what the exam results might show.  Reading his mind, I could see that his intention was different from what he was asking. I saw him move his seat closer to mine.  In a very low tone of voice he asked if I had a boyfriend within the university.  I felt uncomfortable and my mind rushed immediately. This was an old man the age of my parents who I expected to have wisdom and self- respect.  He was a person whose behavior would ruin young ladies by misleading them with money and grades that were unearned and only available through a sexual relationship with him. 

Having self- regulation, I had to find a way of stopping such a character. I told him I had no boyfriend in the university.  “Madam would you mind taking me for a walk in Nairobi? There are no transport expenses for I will use my vehicle and I will provide everything you need. I will feel good travelling with a beautiful lady like you and having a nice meal with you in the most expensive hotel. In short, would you mind being my girlfriend?” 

This was a trap. I had to act quickly.  Not speaking the truth or answering him emotionally with anger would cause him to react with revenge. Accepting was the greatest mistake I could have committed against myself.  I had to critically think for a solution.  

Angry that he had lost respect for me and perhaps others who had already fallen in his trap, I refused to allow him to control my emotions. Being a student leade r I had to find a solution to gapping such behavior.

I took a deep breath to calm down. I collected all the negative things I wanted to say and threw them away. I was accountable for all outcomes and I had to make sure they were the right ones.

I humbly and wisely responded to him, “Please sir, I appreciate your idea but it is surely a wrong one. I would like to remind you that I am your student and you are my teacher, a position worthy to be respected.  And you have to respect me like your daughter. I am sure you know that it is wrong having a relationship out of your marriage.”

I knew I had done the right thing. I also understood that the lecturer could have awarded me a failing grade out of spite. That would mean I would have to redo the course again or possibly a third time. 

To my surprise he whole heartedly asked for forgiveness and he took ownership for his mistake. He promised to change and never repeat his action to me or to any other student. Such a relief.

Indeed self-control is an important skill in life. It helped me not to verbally attack the lecturer, make a rushed decision or compromise my values. I feel strengthened by this life event and encourage other young women in similar circumstances to take the high road and refuse to give in to what surely would be a huge mistake. My message is to value integrity, the most valued possession.

Sharon Nawire, CES Kenya Alumna

Egerton University Year – BSc (Candidate) Agriculture Engineering  

Words to Inspire

Juma Edwin Nyongesa is a teacher at Shieywe SS in Kakamega - western Kenya. What makes that special is that Edwin was a CES Kenya student at the same school, sponsored by a secondary scholarship by a caring Canadian. 

A graduate of Maseno University, he continues to fine tune his writing through inspirational quotes. These original ideas come from a passionate heart that seeks the truth in life and while doing so believes that by lifting others he too will reach his potential.

When you have a vision you definitely find the means to get there. Means trail the dream. Have a vision, break it into manageable sets. Take steps and there you go. I have a vision and I have found my purpose.

The only difference between success and failure is belief. What you believe in is definitely what you become. You believe nothing will ever pull you down, it's what exactly falls on you..You believe you got wings to fly, surely you shall. Believe not in being a failure, discourager, unsupportive. 

Change your world.

The world has a very serious and reserved space for the daring. You dare it, it dares you. You try it, it tries you. You go for it, it comes for you. You hold it firmly, it clings on you. Get out, go and do it. 

Circumstances may last for a moment.
A dream cares less of the circumstances.
It knows how to negotiate along those tough times.
Circumstances have never won over a dream, a dream has.
Let not that storm choke your beautiful vision. Give in not.
Resist and persist until you succeed.
~An overcomer
~A victor
~A dreamer

Stay put.
Stay focused.
Lift your head up.
Fight for your victory.
Share your dream.
Work on your vision.
~But remember to support others.

No mount of opposition can over power a united will and mind. Do not underestimate it. It's a tsunami of change and impact. Unite. Come together. Change the society. Change lives.

If only we stayed positive and had a sustained hope then we could fight all way to our victory. Stop having the victim mentality. Shake yourself, dust off and keep moving forward.
~support someone
~mentor them

The greatest killer of destiny, dreams, visions and purpose is the voice of discouragement from your trusted cahoots.

Celebrate your life with other people. Help build up their vision and dreams. When you will be dead, your impartation will live after you. Give a handkerchief to a crying friend. 

A bright Monday, new day, new season and an opportunity to inspire and support somebody. Be the reason to overcome all odds and voices of discouragement from unfruitful minds. Against all odds you must be a victor. 

Imagine all Ces graduants picking up a single student i. high school among the ces sponsored students to guide them and follow up on how they are performing, finding out their challenges, encouraging them, motivating them, challenging them. They would all be great people in the society. Know what? We can do it.
~men for boys
~ladies for girls
~mentor them
~develop them.
~give back to the society

When I remember these words at one moment in deep calls of prayer, with a groaning spirit, that I can really and truly bless myself, bless someone, bless a family, nation and the world using my tongue. Of course the reverse is true. I want to write a new song, a new melody to my beloved. To recount his marvelous benefits. His course for my life. The one that I love. The one that I embrace. Like the pen of a skillful writer, I will not stop or be silenced. With a smooth and oiling heart, I will declare in the day light my love for you. I will shout of your love in rebuke and anger. Your beautiful lessons I will jot them skillfully. My A - Z story will I tell. In groaning and tears will I whisper. To your long ears will I murmur. That and that, by and by, with and without, have it or have it not... To just write a sweet story my Lord because it's love that drives me. I will. I am.

Passion Drives people. Life with a purpose is the story the world needs. How can you live with a purpose if all criminals of poverty are at your door? Jaws of intimidation to kill youf dream are your daily inspiration. No one to inspire you and now you expired as the only option.
~ Passion
~Selfless
~Transformed to transform

My tongue is like the pen of a skilful writer. I will write because i believe i can. Everybody is born with an innate ability. You are peculiar if only you believed in your ability. Exercise it.
Encourage, motivate, support someone. Build the society.

This morning as I was heading for job I met this girl on her way to secure a place for her attachment in an area she isn't familiar with. I decided to give direction to where she was headed to but because I was somehow late, I didn't take her number maybe for further assistance. Later, in my heart, I told myself I had just missed an opportunity to help somebody in need and truly I missed it. She could be a doctor in the future and one day could have remembered a young man helped her when she needed help. 

I don't need money so that I can assist somebody. Just help out. You never know who the person turns to be in future. Motivate an individual. Encourage the downcast. Just do it. 

One day you will be appreciated..........Heeeeeeeeyyy, wait not to be appreciated. No, in fact, it's you who will appreciate yourself one day... Where are the great humanitarians?

And finally we did it again. The power of a working idea...Asanteni sana Ces. #empower them through education #change the society. Mentor them. Inspire them. We just did it ....

I am moved to remember how I intervened in several occasions about two or more young ones whose lives were in shambles and cracking ready to break. A friend from abroad just reminded me in a very long narration that if I didn't count on the efforts I made, some one, miles away recorded and noted down. If you have any opportunity please touch a life. Restore hope to the hopeless. The future will reward you. I am encouraged to support all that comes my way. I remembered that good people are not born but made. Great and might leaders same. The nation is seeking great men who care...but listen, how many orphans out there are hungry and have no clothing. Lift up your head and touch lives. I am proud I touched three so far. I want to touch 1000 and above...

Keep on doing good irregardles of the hurdles. Destiny is waiting for you.

You don't need to give people money. Inspiration is all. I have inspired one. I am inspired. We are inspired. You only need yo be inspired. I am.

A renewed mind is the real definition of Revolution.. Let it come now and all members on board.

What you do defines who you are. Did you support somebody today? If not find time to. 

Your legacy shouldn't be in the number of houses you built and acquired, the type of vehicles you ride or something material, though they are all good and fulfilling to possess either. It should be in the number of dying souls, hopeless and helpless hearts you touched and uplifted.

Kenya Elections - 2017

Milridah's Blog...Evidence Confronted

We are nearing elections, just a few weeks away now. Much is happening across Kenya with many uncertainties facing the people. Comparing January with June this year, we see economical, political and social changes. The cost of living for example, has highly risen over the last few months and many Kenyans are suffering due to hunger.

Knowing that the highest percentage of the population are under 25 years, many politicians are making promises in favour of youths. This has been a trend for a very long time. They promise youths "heaven" but when they get into power, youths continue living in "hell".  Two-thirds of youth with post-secondary education remain jobless. They have papers but no jobs; and if they have any, they are low paying menial jobs. Those in power snap up the best for themselves. It is during election time that politicians befriend youths and use them in their rallies. Some are paid and others are made drunk to cause chaos in their opponents' rallies.  To summarise, youths in Kenya are misused and looked down upon. 

Politics in Kenya is based on tribalism. Here people mainly vote for tribes and parties not leaders or individuals. Currently we have two main political parties; these are NASA and Jubilee, the current ruling party. Jubilee is comprised of two major tribes while NASA is mainly for the rest of the tribes. Since 2007 politics in Kenya has never been free and fair as it should be. As we are praying for peace throughout this period, supporters of some parties/candidates claim that they must win whether it's by votes or guns. 

If I was a candidate I would urge Kenyans to vote for the best leader and not parties, tribes or clans. It is high time that we Kenyans should open our eyes and minds to do the right thing. I pray for peaceful elections that will be open and not corrupt. No more bloodshed, may God help us. 

The politics of today reminds me of those days after the 2014 Garissa University terror attack. We the survivors were promised a lot by the Kenyan government but none of the promises were fulfilled. In fact, the aid that other countries donated to the survivors was used by those same leaders. We just heard about those donations from the social media, but we never saw them. As if they didn't know what we went through, they wanted us to go back to Garissa University to continue with our studies.  Were it not for our lecturers, most of us would have stopped learning. 

It pains me to realize that some of us have had to defer our studies due to lack of fees and sustainable money.  The nations that donated money to pay fees for the less fortunate reconcile must have been angry at those in power who "ate" the funds. Some of my colleagues were given out country scholarships; yet, only 20% actually got the chance to study abroad. That was mainly due to the Dean of Students fighting for them. 

I thank God for CES Kenya and CES Canada who sponsored my studies and supported me from that point on. May God bless you and give you favour.  I am proud of my country but I will say that those in power have let us down.

Milridah Ominde

June, 2017

A New Way of Thinking - A Response to Hunger

A NEW WAY OF THINKING FOR KENYA : 

Famine and drought have become a big tragedy in Kenya. Many people including innocent children are under torture; so too, cattle and wild animals. For long we have fought against these with little success. Can we find a better way to keep ourselves alive? If we are the masters of our own lives, then we cannot expect the universe to automatically provide for us. If we believe our world has enough for all our needs then we must find ways to feed ourselves. It doesn’t matter how big the challenge, planet earth will render to us all what we need in abundance, not in partiality. 

Kenyans have a tendency to look at what they want and say, “yes, I like that.” They will say for example they want enough food and a good environment to live.  But in fact, they look at what they don't want; and, what energizes them is the idea that they can stamp it out, eliminate or obliterate it. As Kenyans we have become content with fighting against things: hunger, drought etc. We tend to fight everything we don't want which actually creates more of a fight with no solution. 

Anything we focus on we can create. Kenyans create hunger and drought by focusing on these. We talk and complain about these pandemics much than we are grateful for the good things we have in our country. When we are angry at hunger and drought that already exists we are adding negative energy to the situation. We are pushing ourselves and that only creates resistance. We forget that what we resist will persist. Resisting supports a strong emotion of, 'I really don't want it ' and then it comes racing towards you instead. 

Resistance to anything is like trying to change outside pictures after they have been transmitted into reality. It is a futile pursuit. Kenyans need to go within and emit a new signal with their thoughts and feelings to create a new picture : abundance of food, enough rain, good environments, more crop and cattle production. We need to stop resisting what has appeared in order not to add more energy and power to those pictures of hunger that we don't like. 

Focusing on negative thoughts - hunger and drought, is not helpful. We will just be adding to it negativity and bring more of the negatives in our own lives. Now is the time to change this way of thinking and emit a new signal. We are not powerless, we are able to defeat the enemy through a positive approach.

Let's focus on every Kenyan being joyful, living in abundance and in a good environment. Let's focus our powerful thoughts on what is wanted and not  the unwanted. Despite the challenges around us, we have the ability to give much to the world by emitting feelings of love and well being. Once we know what we want we must find a way to get there.

Energy flows where attention goes. I believe that before CES CANADA and CES KENYA decided to support needy students to acquire vital education in agriculture economics, engineering and agriculture extension, their first thought was to provide the education and important knowledge to encourage youth to study in the agriculture sector.

CES Canada and CES Kenya have focused on the positive of what is needed in our communities - education, water, nutrition and health. It is now up to some of us as scholarship recipients to learn how to live in abundance. Education is the key. With that education we can now focus on agriculture. CES has discovered the secret, 'the law of attraction that like attracts like.'  Good thoughts attract good things in one’s life and bad thinking brings forth more bad events and circumstances that will cause more bad things to occur.

When the voice and vision on the inside becomes more profound, clearer and louder than the opinions on the outside, we then have greater control. As Kenyans we have the ability to learn about agriculture. All citizens have the ability to practice it and conserve the environment and even provide room for adequate rain. I am not saying we have the ability to fully eliminate hunger and drought. But we can do something about it through strategic planning and focused action. Let us listen to our inner voice so we can use the knowledge we have to bring abundance and have a comfortable life.

We Kenyans should treat the universe like a catalogue. In this way we are not going to run out of stuff and bust the bank. The secret is that there is more than enough to go around for everybody. Let us just focus our minds on what we want. There is a lie that acts like a virus within the mind  of humanity. This is, 'there is not enough good to go round.'  Kenyans are living in  fear, greed and stinginess due to the lie. Oh! Negative thoughts. The truth is that there is more than enough food and rain. All good begins as the mind becomes aware of its own infinite nature. 

Let Kenyans think abundance, see abundance, feel abundance, believe in abundance. Let no thought of limitations enter our minds. And so just when we think that resources are dwindling, we see rain is abundance, an environment that is favourable for enough crop and cattle production, and we find new resources to achieve the same things. Nothing is limited - not even resources or anything else. The only limitation is the human mind. When we open our minds to the unlimited creative power, we will call forth abundance and see and experience a new Kenya! 

There is enough for everyone. God has provided all we need in life. The Creator also expects human beings to care for planet Earth. We have the ability to choose what we want to experience. Do we want plenty for everyone?  Each of us has ability to tap into the unlimited invisible supply through our thoughts and feelings and bring it into our experience. So let Kenyans choose, not only because they can but because they must.

Sharon Nawire Walekhwa
2nd year Agriculture Engineering
Egerton University, Kenya