| HILLARY’S STORY: FROM THE BRINK OF DESPAIR TO THE CLASSROOM OF HOPE |
| At 29 years old, Hillary Kibet Tarus stands in front of his classroom at Nandi Hills Junior School, guiding young minds with patience and purpose. What his students may not know is that their teacher’s journey through school was almost cut short many times and that he is only here today because of the chance he was given when things were at their hardest. Hillary grew up as the fifth child in a family of eleven. Life wasn’t easy. His father, who worked at the EPK tea estate, was forced to retire early due to a serious throat condition. With no stable income and most of the family’s money going into hospital bills, school fees became a luxury they could no longer afford. Three of Hillary’s older siblings had to drop out of school. Two of his sisters ended up in early marriages, and one of his brothers took up a job as a school watchman just to help keep the family going. Hillary saw firsthand what it meant when education slipped out of reach, and he knew he had to find another way. He did well in his primary school exams and was admitted to Sochoi High School, but fees quickly became a problem. Rather than drop out, Hillary made a difficult choice; he repeated his final year of primary school, hoping a better grade would open new doors. It did. The primary school director saw potential in him, offered to readmit him and gave him a free place as a boarding student. That year, Hillary’s grades improved from a B to an A-. |
| Hillary Kibet in the classroom teaching his students. |
| The real turning point came when Sireet Outgrowers Empowerment Project Company Ltd (Sireet OEP), through the Fairtrade Premium Fund, selected him for a fully paid high school scholarship, alongside 300 other students. That support changed everything. The scholarship changed his story. With school fees sorted, he could focus fully on his studies. He scored a B+ in his national exams, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, and earned a place at Moi University to pursue Education. Once again, Sireet OEP stepped in, covering his initial university costs until the government loan kicked in. In the end, Hillary graduated with a Second-Class Upper Division. After years of struggle, he was able to stand on his own two feet. Today, Hillary is not just a teacher, he is a husband to Risper, a high school teacher, and the main breadwinner in his extended family. He supports his parents and six younger siblings, and still dreams of furthering his studies through a Master’s program in the United Kingdom (UK). “I am grateful to the Fairtrade Premium and Sireet OEP,” he says. “My life would have been completely different, undoubtedly worse, if it weren’t for their support. They gave me the chance to build the life I have today.” Hillary’s story is not just about surviving; it is about holding on, working hard, and making the most of every opportunity, no matter how small. It is also a reminder of what can happen when communities invest in their own. Behind every scholarship, there is a story like Hillary’s, a story of change, of gratitude, and of hope passed on to the next generation. |