Watch this video to see how Michael overcame the odds as a youth in poverty and hear his special message for you.
“I had no hopes of joining university, no hopes of continuing my education,” Michael said. “But I prayed a lot that someday I’ll find someone who could support me.”
Press the “Play” button above to hear his inspiring story from living in poverty to achieving his potential through the Unbound Scholarship Program. Like Michael says in the video, an education is not a given for children and youths around the world. Shockingly low proficiency rates in reading and mathematics signal a global learning crisis according to the United Nations, and non-proficiency rates are highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: United Nations' 2019 Sustainable Development Goals Report
The Unbound Scholarship Program can be the difference between continuing in school or dropping out. And Lucy Awino, an Unbound program coordinator in Kisumu, Kenya, says that accessing education is even more difficult now during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she and her team are checking in with scholarship students and designing programs that will help them realize their dreams of a better future.
“The prolonged closure of schools has left many learners idle and caused them to lose focus on their education,” Lucy said. “However, Unbound will continue to provide support for them to reach their educational goals.”
I would love to see more of the African child, more of the Kenyan children, being supported and achieving their dreams. Most of them become hopeless, … become street children, others lose hope, others who are bright are unable to continue with their education because they lack the funds, they lack the support, the moral support… and now because of Unbound I have transformed my life.
– Michael, Unbound scholar, Kenya