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By:
SIMON NGUGI | |||||||||
| Posted:
Nov,01-2018 19:30:19
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Do you Want to make a difference? Go back to school, your old school! It is no secret among many that the nostalgic memories of our high school days replay in our minds on a continuous loop every so often. These memories, whether spurred by an accidental meet up at a gathering with a former schoolmate or the result of an 'accidental' Facebook connection inspire many of us to reminisce where we started and appreciate how far we have come. The results of these encounters and recollections especially in the diaspora always end up with lengthy conversations and laughter about 'those days' when most of us dreaded the academic pressures but always found time to demand more access to 'freedom'. The formative days when most of us concentrated on sleeping, eating and complaining with or without merit. At the end of these meetings, there are always promises to stay in touch while exchanging phone numbers and other social media handles. Some of these promises are kept at least for a while, but I am confident many just fall by the wayside few weeks into these chance encounters. There is an opportunity to change the latter though while making a difference and a lasting impact on the current breed of students attending our former institutions of secondary education. This can be achieved through the formation of Alumni Associations and taking advantage of technological and instant communication advances to connect and share a vision to assess the current situation of our individual schools and how as alumni we can build relationships and fuel positive change where necessary.
There are a number of high school alumni associations in Kenya for instance, but few of them meet with regularity or have been successful in impacting the schools and of these few, most represent the 'elite' group of schools such as Alliance boys and Girls, Lenana school, Thika High School, the Oloolaiser High School, St. Mary's Yala, to mention but a few. The above schools and many of their caliber have collectively bred political, social and economic giants in the country and around the World and are now reaping the benefits. It is the lesser known schools that are in need of the support from those who called their now dated class rooms and dormitories home at one point. There is a serious dearth of visionary leadership in the country politically but that is a story for another day, the story today, is how we as now successful individuals can come together and make a difference by providing opportunities we did not have. I know the task sounds daunting because for some it has been decades since they graduated their high schools, while for others it is the doubt that meaningful change can be achieved. I will counter both schools of thought by stating that life is about building relationships and there aren't any more fertile grounds for achieving this than these institutions that played vital roles in our lives during our critical formative years. I will also give a snapshot of the successes seen by my own alumni Association; the Olkejuado High School Alumni Association founded 6 years ago and currently comprising a very diverse team of roughly 250 - 300 members who graduated between 1964 as is the case of Mzee Israel Mokinyo ( Adm. Number 001) and 2016 ( Author Stephen Partore). The association currently boasts of 7 chapters under the general umbrella including Namanga Highway, Oloitokitok, Limuru, Thika, Nakuru, Ngong and Diaspora chapters and holds revolving quarterly meetings and one Annual General meeting. Its membership sprawls several African countries, Europe and the United States.
The OHSAA under the chairmanship of Mr Benard Leponyo Katitia (the pioneer class of 1989) has become a force to reckon with and its relationship with the school has bore many positive fruits including mentorship of current students, spearheading a multi-million shilling renovation of the school buildings, running a scholarship fund all the while taking care of each other through our social welfare programs. Our fulfilled and ongoing projects are the results of ordinary people doing extraordinary things and a testament that there is strength in numbers. The success of the Olkejuado High school Alumni Association is reason enough for others from the various high schools in Kenya and other African countries to try and reconnect as a people who share a common thread and can impact change and positive outcomes both in the diaspora and at home. The next time you meet a former schoolmate, be an agent for change by striking the conversation that will one day make a difference. It is imperative for us to come together and 'go back to school', to be friends, mentors, safety nets and to build others up by being the light in a too often dim World that equally distributes talent but not opportunities. (Editor's note: The writer is a graduate of the mighty Olkejuado high School in Kajiado Township, Kajiado County and a card carrying member of the school's thriving Alumni Association. The editor is a graduate of Thika High School and working with Dr. Njoroge and other old boys to make Thika High School Great Again!). | |||||||||
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Source:
AJABU AFRICAN NEWS
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