Sponsorship Changed my Life ~ Nelson
“Many children are born into difficult circumstances, where their families struggle to provide even the basics—food, clothing, shelter, and education. For these children, hope for a better life can feel out of reach, leaving them trapped in a cycle of poverty and despair.
This was my reality, alongside my siblings. Our father had to retire from his job as a welder and fabricator in his mid-thirties due to health issues, and life quickly became a struggle. But thanks to sponsorship programs from the Rang’ala Family Helper Project, run by the Kisumu Development Programme in partnership with ChildFund, and later through the Starehe Boys’ Centre and School, my life took a different path.
I lost my father when I was just four years old, and two years later, my mother passed away. Our family disintegrated, and my siblings and I were sent to live with various relatives. We never got to share our childhood together. Life was incredibly tough without the love and care of my parents.
For a time, I dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, even imagining myself playing in Europe. I tried to join the military six times, but each attempt failed. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I discovered my true passion—communication.
I often wonder what my life would have been like without the chance to go to school, a chance I received through the Rang’ala Family Helper Project. With their help, I joined Standard One at the prestigious Starehe Boys’ Centre and School in Nairobi. Over the next 12 years, I completed both my primary and secondary education there, without ever paying a single shilling in school fees. All of this was possible because of the sponsorship I received through the school. Meanwhile, my aunt, who took care of me after my mother’s death, continued to receive financial and material support from my ChildFund sponsor.
What amazed me most was that my sponsors were not wealthy. They sacrificed the little they had just to ensure that a boy like me got a second chance at life.
These interactions sparked in me a deep curiosity and a desire to see the world beyond my circumstances. Today, I am blessed to have visited at least 24 countries around the globe. Looking back, I am profoundly grateful for the life-changing opportunities I received through these sponsorship programs. They helped me reclaim my life and rise above the difficult circumstances of my childhood.
It is truly in giving that we receive. I hope you will find it in your heart to be a cheerful giver and change someone’s life, just as mine was.”
~ Nelson Opany, Manager, Communications and Partnerships, World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM).
To say I loved my time at Starehe would be an understatement. I fondly remember writing countless letters to my sponsors and eagerly awaiting their replies. The highlight was always the Christmas cards they sent, along with photos of their children playing in the snow. Those cards made me feel like I was part of their family, even though we were worlds apart. One Christmas, they sent me a bit of pocket money, which my aunt used to buy two sheep. By the time I finished high school, those two sheep had multiplied into a herd of six cows.
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