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By:
Harrison Maina | |||||||||
| Posted:
Dec,01-2014 07:28:55
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QUINCY, Mass.,_Many Kenyans in USA are toiling hard because they are not utilizing widely available educational resources like short lucrative courses, minority and women scholarships, as well as summer programs offered at many colleges and universities.
Many are not even engaging their children seriously in the educational process that would unlock the vast American dream. The concern was voiced by Dr. George Kiongera and several other scholars on Sunday while speaking to graduating youths at the All Saints Anglican Community church in Quincy during a special 'education Sunday service' to congratulate members who recently graduated in the 2013 graduating class. "There is only one certificate that can catapult you straight from poverty right into the middle class in America.That certificate is the LPN (Licensed Practical Nursing)certificate",said Dr. Kiongera, a Kenyan who since coming to America 10 years ago has succeeded at reinventing himself from a bed maker into an acclaimed scholar and entrepreneur. Kiongera recently made history for being one of the very first Kenyans and African Americans to graduate with a doctorate in Nursing Practice, the highest level one can attain in the nursing field. The majority of Kenyans in USA work at various levels in both the healthcare and human resources industries. He told Kenyans that it does not matter the age or circumstances that they find themselves in while in America, but it is important to enroll for college education or for higher education for those already graduated. "Time does not care about your circumstances. A day will come and a day will go. I would rather go to college now and do one credit rather than keep postponing waiting for the best time,"he said. He said that most Kenyans especially the youth immigrated to a "land of milk and honey" to escape dire circumstances back home but when they arrived here, they find themselves struggling in almost similar or worse circumstances than before. All this pain, Kiongera said, exists among Kenyans despite the existence of vast opportunities wide open for those with some college education. Kiongera attributed the problem to lack of time management skills among the youth leading them to spend all their time in counterproductive activities. "You can't have 8 hours a day to do the things you love and still have a PhD.Give up late night partying, give up watching that late night TV, to get off your cell phones, give up bad attitude towards teachers and parents, adopt the power and attitude of positive thinking and the world will be like an osyster in your pocket." He shocked many in attendance when he revealed that he was devastated when he arrived in America only to find that the only job he could get was that of a bed maker, yet he was a middle aged man with huge family responsibilities who had left his motherland in pursuit of the American dream. "$7.15 per hour and the nature of the work i was doing was not my idea of the American dream when i embarked onto this journey to this country.It was actually a nightmare.However, i had made a commitment to myself and my family back in Kenya that i was going to stay in America and there was no turning back,"said the father of three. Within a short period of time, Kiongera took courses that helped him work his way up to a nursing assistant (CNA) then to RN, BSN, Masters, and finally to a Doctorate from University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Urging Kenyans to enroll in college, Kiongera said that Kenyans would find a lot of pride when they walk into a hospital or a drug store to find a Dr. Kamau, or a Dr. Ngige, or a person from their culture in charge of things. "We need more graduates in healthcare who are culturally competent to provide healthcare services to our community." Kiongera added that according to researchers, there is a correlation between longevity and good health to education. "These days, the more educated you are, the longer you are likely to live. Good education will help you live among better social circles, eat healthier and increase your likelihood for longer, healthy life." He said that due to education he has been able to start a unique Nursing Practice Business based in the city of Lawrence (Maestro- Connections Health Systems) that has created employment to several professionals including a medical doctor. Speaking during the same event, Dr. Gilbert Nyaga, who is an associate professor of Supply Chain Management at the North Eastern University in Boston said that Kenyan parents in the Diaspora should strive to expose their children more to the widely available learning resources in the USA in order to help them change their mindset. He said that such resources are largely free to those interested in putting an effort. Nyaga added that he has noted with dismay that the Chinese immigrant community in Quincy always bring their children to libraries in big numbers whereas he hardly sees any Kenyan or black children there. "No wonder the Chinese are dominating all the academic fields of science, mathematics and engineering. They are investing more time in their children’s education than we are,"he lamented. Dr. Nyaga cited summer programs offered by most major universities in the commonwealth as great opportunities for Kenyan children enroll and get exposure to the inner workings of the system in USA. "If Kenyan parents sign up their children at these programs, they would change the mindset to become more high achievers," he said. Nyaga faulted Kenyan parents for putting too much emphasis at working extra long hours in order to amass more money at the expense of discovering existing opportunities for their children. "How much is it going to cost you to spend working too much instead of focusing on your children? No matter how long you work, you are not going to afford to pay all the cost for a good college for your children. If you engage in these programs for your children, they are more likely to get scholarships,"he said. Dr. Nyaga also asked parents to acquire skills that will make them more likely to get better paying jobs that will allow them to enjoy quality life. "If you move from an RN nurse to a master's program, your pay rate goes up. You can then call the shots as to what hours you will want to work." Dr. Mercy Kamau, another Kenyan scholar and community activist who just graduated with a Phd in Global Health policy from Umass Boston urged Kenyans to seek scholarships in the USA that are widely available for minorities, women and people of color. However, Dr. Kamau cautioned Kenyans to go for degrees that can help them get better jobs instead of graduating with degrees that will only be useful for "hanging on your wall". During a Q&A session, several Kenyan parents lamented of the limitations of time and resources that make it hard to pursue further studies in USA while at the same time struggling to bring up their young families Dr. Kiongera advised such parents to take one course at a time or utilize online courses. "Don't overload yourself. You know your circumstances best. Take blended courses that mix classroom and online instructions," he said. Over 10 members of the church were honored for graduating in the 2013 class, ranging from second grade to a Phd. However, despite the pride in the new graduates, Patrick Karongo, an official of the church decried the low number of men in the 2013 graduating lineup. "Thank you for graduating. It seems like men not graduating as much because there were very few male graduates here today. It seems like they are more focused on working long hours to buy plots back home,"he quipped. Thanking Dr. Kiongera for his timely advice to the young and new graduates, Rev. Fredrick Thanji, the pastor of the All Saints Anglican Church said that everything has now been laid out in the open. "It is now up to those who take this seriously to take action and go back to school,"said the pastor. The pastor however cautioned that acquiring mere education was not enough if people do not have the God in their lives. "Education without God is poisonous. It brings you a lot of problems and drags you through a lot of mud. But with Jesus and knowledge, you become a very useful person in the world community." The event was organized and coordinated by Dr. Carol Karanja in conjunction with the church committee.Dr. Karanja graduated with a doctorate in Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) in 2006. Among the new graduates honored at the event was Virginia Kamotho, a church member who now holds masters of nursing degree from North Eastern University. Rev. Thanji, the pastor of the church also holds a masters degree in Theology, serving as another role model for the church members. | |||||||||
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Source:
Ajabu Africa
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