Case Study: Japheth
In 2015 Japheth was awarded a Second Class honours degree in Agriculture!
Our first meeting with Japheth was in a field when he was a traumatised teenager following the post election violence of 2007. We met five boys in that field because it was still not safe for us to go the IDP camp where they were living.
Through his tears Japheth told us his story, similar to many who had either lost or been separated from their families, not knowing at that time what had happened to them or if they would ever see them again. Their stories all included tales of unspeakable cruelty and violence.
Even then we could tell Japheth was special by the calm, assured way he told his story yet without a hint of self pity despite the pain we could see in his eyes. When we came back to the UK and told his story, one young lady immediately felt moved to sponsor him. Over the years we have had the joy of seeing Japheth develop as he was elected head boy at his school and now as a teacher at Seed School while he waits to go to University to study Agriculture and Biology.
His friendship with his sponsor has grown also and he is now like an extended member of the family. His own family circumstances are also very happy. He has been reunited with his aunt who has brought him up since his parents died. She is a lovely lady who makes all the Abigail Ministries team very welcome in her tiny home when we visit Kenya. Japheth is always there to act as a very kind, generous and capable host as well. The traumatised teen boy we met in a field 2007 has grown into a responsible young man who his sponsor is very proud of.
Japheth throughout his time at University has helped other students and sought to help sustain himself through rearing chickens. This has developed into a small business selling eggs and designing and building hen houses for others and training them in this style of work. Support from Abigail Ministries has helped Japheth to acquire a small piece of land as he had been renting a VERY small piece as part of his “digs” while at University.
He has set up various training for out of sorts teenagers and developed a football team to give them focus. This has developed and in late 2016 was responsible for a significant football competition between many team over a wide area which was supported and hosted by local officials and several Members of the County Assemblies. A representative from the national government was however unable to attend due to a sudden death in he family. There are now many of those boys going the right way in life!
