My name is Joyce Asimit Simiyu. Im 36 years old and the firstborn of seven in my family. My early childhood education began in a Catholic mission, and this allowed me to attend the Turkana Integrated Primary School. During that time, my family became members of Friends Church Katilu. The church played a great role in my childhood and I was involved in youth leadership and the choir.

When I completed my primary education, I was among the best students in my class. I was so excited to learn that my grades had earned me a place in high school, but my excitement was cut short because of the huge school fees, and my parents could not afford it. We put our hope to God, and we approached our Friends Church pastor and explained this school matter. Pastor John Moru understood my parents situation and told us about the Girl Child Education scholarship. I was accepted into the programme and managed to report to AIC Kangitit High School to pursue my Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). This was a timely blessing that came at a time when I was almost losing hope.

My four years in secondary school were full of determination and hope. Indeed, growing up in poverty and faithfully praying to God became my motivation to work hard so that one day I will be able to give back to my community. I graduated in 2004.

In 2006, World Vision Kenya advertised job positions for food monitors to undertake general food distribution intervention to avert drought and starvation in Kenya. I applied and got the job. I successfully worked with World Vision in the relief programme for two years, after which I resigned to further my education. I joined the African Institute of Research and Development Studies (AIRADS) to undertake a Diploma course in community health and development. While in World Vision, I met my husband and father of my two boys.

In February 2011, the National Government of Kenya released various job adverts for the position of community health extension worker. I managed to apply and secure the job and was posted to Kalemngorok dispensary in the Katilu division, Turkana South. For seven years I have worked in Kalemngorok, and while there I enrolled at Mt. Kenya University to undertake a bachelors degree in environmental science, graduating in 2017.

I really want to thank God for walking with me on this journey. It is my personal calling to be a role model to other girls, empowering them to reach their fullest potential. My husband and I currently sponsor two girls to pursue their secondary education. I trust in God that in time we will be able to sponsor more girls, believing that we can change the world, one girl at a time.

I wish to conclude by thanking God for this evident milestone. I am also grateful to the Friends Mission for providing me with a Girl Child Education scholarship. For sure if you didnt intervene, today I would probably be a street woman, single mother, housewife, or housemaid. May God continue to bless those who give to this programme so that more challenged girls in Africa will be helped.