Restore Humanity Scholars Program
Students chosen to be Restore Humanity Scholars will be given the opportunity to realize their dreams and better their community.
What’s the purpose of this program?
● To give bright young minds from rural and impoverished areas of Kenya an opportunity to receive a university education
● To nurture and cultivate the talent and abilities of our scholars to create a better future for them and their community
● To enlist our scholars’ passions and abilities in collaborative efforts to make our various projects in Kenya more effective
● To promote altruism, compassion, and understanding
How are the recipients chosen?
The selection process is a natural extension of our principal program, the JCO Children’s Home (our Orphanage). Once our kiddos complete their high school education they leave our charge and enter adulthood seeking to find their way in the world. Some of them will join our JCO Graduate Program, in which we help them to pursue a marketable skill through a vocational program or technical school. However, our kiddos who demonstrate high academic achievement and have intellectual interests or passions that are best pursued at a university are granted a Restore Humanity (RH) Scholarship.
How is it decided where RH Scholars will attend university?
Scholars with the appropriate maturity and social skills to make the cultural transition may be considered as candidates to be brought to America and attend the University of Arkansas. However, the primary determinant of which university any given RH Scholar will attend is actually the scholar’s intended field of study. We have a strong bias towards sending RH Scholars to Kenyan universities because the Kenyan job market tends to be much more hospitable to undergraduate degrees earned within Kenya. Nevertheless, some degree programs have an attendant career path that is unconstrained by this pragmatic concern (e.g. civil engineering). We try to place our scholars in whatever situation will help them reach the fullness of their potential and maximize their undergraduate experience, while also giving them the best opportunity to find gainful employment after graduation.
Who are our Scholars?
Moses Vincent Agare
Moses became our first RH Scholar in May 2013 and he is attending school at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Moses is a Civil Engineering major. In the Fall of 2016 Moses became the first international student in the history of the university to become a Senator in Arkansas Student Government and the first student of any kind to ever be crowned as Homecoming King, a position which afforded him an opportunity to befriend former Miss Arkansas and current Miss America, Savvy Shields, while both were being honored in a local parade last fall.
We chose Moses to be our first scholar because of his academic capabilities of course, but even more so because of his character and leadership potential. We knew he was a special kid, but he has far exceeded all of our expectations! He has blown us away with his ability to adapt to our culture and really thrive here. He works hard at his studies, is kind to others, and despite his accolades, is still a humble guy. All that being said, if you remember nothing else about Moses, remember this: He is studying civil engineering and is doing so as a man on a mission. His hometown, Sirembe, is a place devoid of paved roads, running water, or reliable electricity and he plans to be the one to bring this much needed infrastructure to his community. He may also have a political ambition or two but whatever he does, we’re certain he’ll continue to make us very proud.
Jerrym Molla Gilbert
Jerrym was one of the first 10 kids that moved into our JCO Children's Home in 2010. In May of 2014 he was granted a RH Scholarship to study International Business at the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi, Kenya. USIU is widely regarded as the best business school in all of East Africa and Jerrym has maintained no less than a 3.2 GPA every semester since he enrolled there and is now set to graduate with honors in August of 2018. To say he loves business is a bit of an understatement. He absorbs case studies and market research, both for class and for fun. Some of his free time is spent at a nearby mall interviewing shop owners and store managers about customer preferences and profit margins.
We are very proud of him and happy he found something that he is so passionate about! He has always been a great kid but has really blossomed at USIU. Since it is an international university it attracts students from all over the globe and exposure to a rich diversity of people, cultures, and perspectives has expanded Jerrym’s worldview immensely. We’re all excited about his future and while he is likely destined for corporate boardrooms and corner offices in fancy buildings, Jerrym is also very mindful of how to use what he is learning to help his community. He has already submitted for our consideration multiple small business proposals to help grow the economy of Sirembe and has a plan for coordinating a network of alumni from his (and Moses’) former high school to leverage their (future) collective resources into a program that will pay school fees for deserving, high potential students in Sirembe. Someone helped him when he was in need and now he is working hard to create opportunities to pay it forward.
Juma Fredrick Ogongo
Juma moved into our JCO Children's Home in January of 2012. He has always been hard-working and a natural leader. As one of the older kids at the JCO he always set a good example for his younger siblings by being diligent in his studies but also by being available to help tutor others with theirs. If somebody’s homework was due soon or a test was coming up then Juma was in high demand for a little extra help. More than any other child that has lived in our home, Juma seems particularly motivated to use his talents and abilities to benefit others.
Juma graduated from secondary school in December of 2016 and has ambitions to one day both design and build airplanes, and possibly spacecraft, as an aeronautical engineer. In January 2018 he began his studies at the Northwest Arkansas Community College and is set to transfer to the University of Arkansas in 2020.