My name is Mary Mukuhi Ng'ang' a. I was born and schooled in a small village in Nakuru county, Kenya, where my parents still reside. My dream for achieving a university degree was my long waited goals. Having schooled in a rural area, I was determined to be a role model for other kids in my home area and make an impact.
Against all the odds, I knew the greatest glory in life was never falling, but rising every time, I fall. My chances for attaining a university degree had slipped way, understanding my parents' financial status; I enrolled for a diploma in Horticulture at Egerton University. I excelled in my studies.
I was fiercely determined to build a career, and I knew nothing was going to stop until I achieve, without the assistance of MasterCard Foundation Scholarship, I wouldn’t be on this journey towards my Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree.
Not that I doubt my potential, but by any stretch of the imagination, MasterCard Foundation under REFORUM has significantly impacted my life. Through attending lectures, and internship program, they have tremendously helped in building foundation skills, widening my understanding and new opportunities. I am delighted to be the beneficiary of the program. Truly I highly appreciate your generous support. Being an Agronomy student at Egerton University, my long life dreams are coming into reality. I am honoured to interact with intellectuals who are deepening my understanding. The two years journey has been insightful to me academic wise and engaging with smallholders' farmers at the community level.
Education progress and community engagement
I am honoured to note the tremendous improvement in my academics. I am privileged to interact with world-class professors who are sharing their inbound knowledge. Successfully, I have managed to complete 1st and 2nd year and gotten an opportunity to do my attachment at field 7and 17 at Egerton university under Community actions research project (CARP+), Climate and Water Smart Agriculture (CaWSAC) and irrigation Accelerations projects (IAP) partnered to start demonstrations farm at Egerton University at field 7 and 17. The demonstration was aimed to help students, staff and farmers at Nakuru Sub County to learn on different methods of farming. Clean seed potato is one of the main crops; farmers, staff and the student were engaged to plant different potatoes varieties, monitor crop growth and production and compare the performance of the varieties.
I had an opportunity to learn more on potatoes now I am using my knowledge and skills in a small piece of land at home to grow the potatoes, through the project my mum is earning an income from farming. I am planning to expand my farming from half an acre to two acres this year. I am so determined to use my knowledge to empower women in my community to engage potatoes farming as a way to their financial freedom without depending on their husbands.
I learnt the installation of drip irrigation during the attachments, which helps in water conservation. Moreover, I had an opportunity to learn more about organic farming, which helps to reduce the use of organic chemicals as the country is moving towards organic food due to diseases that are caused by the chemical. I learnt about the new farming method, such as the use of tobacco, spring onion and Mexican marigold as a repellant in controlling the pest.
Through actively engaging in an intensive learning program, I have learned the future of agriculture lies in the hands of an agronomist and my future role as an agent. I am not only obliged to use the knowledge for myself but also to shape millions of lives of people across Africa. I clearly understand one of the global sustainable goals, free form food insecurity, dependence syndrome, and being entrepreneurs rather than depending on white colour jobs has to start with me.
Social Progress
Through the mentorship program organized by the TAGDev program at Egerton University. I have gained confidence in addressing the public. My morale has improved; I have benefited on how to handle myself in the midst of turbulence without losing focus. The counselling session has helped me on how to live a balanced life. I clearly understand how to plan my goals and managing stress. Self-awareness being among the session I attended, I have managed to realize my strengths and weakness while working hard to improve on weaknesses. My confidence has significantly improved under, although the genuine transformation is a process, through attending counselling sessions, I believe everything is possible and attainable.
Family Support.
Understanding my roots- my parents' financial status and knowing that family is a small world that means everything. My compassion for family and the unrelenting effort my parents have in raising us, I have been an instrumental figure to my family of late through financial support. My dream is to see it standing still, and my parents living a better life. With my stipend, I am supporting my younger brother. I have managed to pay for his school fees while he was at primary school. My dad appreciates grateful for my excellent work. Still, I am supporting him through paying his school fee.
Along with that, I have managed to uplift the living standard of the family. I managed to elect a new semi-permanent homestead for the family. With my stipend investment, I am supporting the family by financing my mother to engage in horticulture farming by buying potatoes seedling and demonstrating to her how to care for them. I have now opened a shop in the nearby market for the elder brother, who is now self-employed, planning to expand it and create employment.
Conclusion
I am proud to say; I definitely feel like agronomy is where I belong; I plan to go on as far as I can. I have gained exposure through extension service/ field visit, field demonstration and farmers training and exhibition. I would be lying to say the program has not profoundly touched me.
If somebody hinted five years ago how my life was going to change, I wouldn't believe it. I am humbled to see how Egerton University, MasterCard Foundation and RUFORUM as significant institutions that can lead you to look through inside yourself and revealing the true person within you.
