“Pamela, she thinks she is special.” This was a comment made by some of our staff at the JCO as Pamela was growing up. They may have been worried that Pamela would think she was special and then end up falling on her face. Playing it safe was, of course, the safer bet. Not creating expectations is the safer bet, and culturally, it can be unusual to see so much confidence in a young woman. If I am being honest, it isn’t all that common where I come from either.
I, however, have a certain affinity for young girls who dream big and believe they can accomplish much more than others think possible. I was once that young girl, and I love nothing more than a story about a girl who is underestimated, defies expectations, and proves everyone wrong. Defying expectations is something that Pamela has done her entire life.
To be clear, I don’t mean that Pamela is arrogant in any way. She possesses a strong inner knowing and belief in herself. She holds her head just a tad higher than most—- the word regal probably explains it best.
Pamela and her little brother Sammie were two of the first 10 kids to move into our JCO Children’s Home in August 2010. Pamela was in third grade when she moved in. She was initially shy, observant, and kind. We quickly realized that she was an exceptional child.
She transferred to the Sirembe Primary school from her previous school and almost instantly went to the top of her class. Her grades kept her at the top of her class all of the way through primary school, and in high school, she continued to perform very well. She was not only skilled in academics, but she also really loved school.
Pamela’s innate self-confidence and drive have had quite an impact on her fellow JCO kids. Here is what two of her JCO siblings say about her:
“Pamela is a very bright student. I think saying bright is an understatement. She is a gifted person. She is multi-talented. She’s a person who is able to perform very well when given the support that she needs. She is a person who is able to transform the resources around her to bring the best out of her.” Jerrym Molla
“She is calm, focused, and organized. Pamela has a character that is very rare. She always thinks before she acts. She is inspirational for the other kids.” Juma Ogongo
As many of you may remember, we were set to bring Pamela here to Fayetteville in 2021 as our first female RH Scholar and only the third RH Scholar to study at the U of A. She had been waiting for this moment and working hard for it for years. However, when her chance came, she was denied a visa. Many of the rules had changed during COVID and had not yet changed back. We appealed and tried everything on our side we could to get her here, but it just wasn’t going to happen.
To her credit, Pamela handled the situation with her typical grace and resilience. She was upset, naturally, but it didn’t take her long to recover. She thanked me for trying so hard and said that she guessed it was not in God’s plan for her.
We quickly shifted gears and enrolled her in a community college near Sirembe to study Clinical Psychology. She unsurprisingly excelled every semester, graduating in December 2024 with an Associate's Degree. Pamela has her sights set on a new challenge - obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology at USIU in Nairobi, one of the top universities in East Africa. She started classes this month, and I know she will continue to make us all proud.
I want to personally thank everyone who has helped her along this journey. Pamela’s story and others like her are why we believe in all-encompassing care that lasts a lifetime, because this is how we make positive and lasting change, by giving support that encourages our kiddos to become the best version of themselves and soar to the heights they were always meant to. It all comes down to love and opportunity.
When the staff would tell me that “Pamela thinks she is special,” my response would essentially be, “Well, she is.” From my perspective, I was a little in awe of this young girl who had been through so many different challenges as a child, but never wavered in her belief in herself and her innate gifts.
And honestly, I still am. Pamela continues to prove just how special she is, and I am excited to see what the future holds for this amazing young woman…