by Bee
I read . . .
about Sammy Gitau on the BBC World News.
He grew up in the Mathare slum in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a place notorious for gang wars and drug-related violence.
When he was 13, his father was murdered, and he became the breadwinner for his family - mainly by selling drugs. A few years later, he nearly lost his life to an overdose.
Out of hospital, he set up a community resource center to teach slum children various skills like carpentry, computer skills and baking. His organisation has helped 20,000 slum children to date.
One day, in a rubbish tip, he found a Manchester University prospectus, and applied for a master's degree.
He was rejected, since he had only two two years of formal education.
Some European Union officials, working in Kenya, heard of his dream, and intervened on his behalf to convince the university to accept him. They did, and paid his course fees. Some charities donated his living expenses.
Recently, he got his degree - a masters in international project development management.
I think . . .
his is a remarkable story. However, what really jumped out at me was his willingness to DARE.
Think about it. A man from a slum, with two years of formal education, finds a university prospectus in a rubbish tip. He DARES to dream of getting a Master's degree in a prestigious program. Then, he DARES to write in for an application form. He fills the form and sends it in.
I cannot begin to fathom the courage it takes to do that. What had he got to lose by applying? Nothing. But how many of us would even think of applying under such circumstances?
I see . . .
an underlying script throughout this man's remarkable life - the ability to dream, to accept the possibility of rejection, and try again.
I see someone willing to take the leap and do things others cannot think he can do.
He dares to embarrass himself.
I feel . . .
it's our fear of failure that shackles us.
So what if one fails at something? It's better than never having tried.
Hopefully, many more kids in the Mathare slum will start daring to dream as well.
As Soeren Kierkegaard said, “To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.”
- Bee
Thursday, December 13, 2007
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14 comments:
True better you dare to do something than saying i should have done.
But how many of us have that courage to do something like sammy have done.
I saw the report in the news yesterday...Sammy is such an inspiration... and yes,he dared to dream in the midst of adversity, but more importantly, he dared to try and fulfil it...I too was really moved by his story...
The perfect for story for me to read this morning.It just shows anything is possible and to be be determined in your vision.
Thanks for this inspirational post Bee!
Mamatha
Very inspiring Bee.. love the post
Thanks for writing this wonderful article Bee.you know..I'm applying to few universities to pursue my masters and I always think that it's such an arduous task to be able to complete all the application process..now this article would surely get me out of my laziness and try harder.Thanks again.
I wanna be just like Sammy..: to dare to dream high.. Thanks bee!
~ Siri
This is so inspirational...A wake up call to many of us who blame everything else in the world instead our own laziness and lack of interest! Thanks for the post Bee.
that was an inspiring story and thanks for making it into your post. we need to dare to dream with our eyes open. though it takes a lot od courage.
Hi Bee,
So true! I would not have dared under his circumstances. Thank you for posting such a wonderful inspirational story. Next time, when i want to try, I will think of Sammy and will dare to proceed with what I wish, no matter what the outcome.
Vaishali
tha you all, for your feedback and encouragement.
Generally speaking, I am not one of those people who are big on resolutions, particularly as it seems the norm at the beginng of every year, I believe in doing, plunging, diving right in. I don't want to say it, I want to do it but after reading this inspiring post for which I thank my dear friend, Bee, I find myself saying that I am making a resolution, I am resolving to be more like Sammy. I've had much happen to me this year that a year ago I would not have believed if someone told me. Thanks to the inspiration from Sammy, I think it is time for me to DARE.
DARE is such a daring word. We all give up on so much life would have otherwise passed onto us, if only we DARED. We wont even know what passed us by, that's coz we are always so scared of the failure that daring assoicates itself to. I was reading The Confident Women by Joyce Meyer, n it said somewhere in the beginning that Thomas Edison failed more than 2000 times (dont remember the exact figure) before he could finally suceeed. Can you blv it - what would have happend if he decided not to dare the first time he failed????
Cynthia - i wholeheartedly agree with your resolution. N I feel that it should not only be yours but all of us should decide to be more daring this new year.
Bee - thanks for this inspiring post.
Beautifully said and a wonderful inspiration to take us into the new year!. Especially loved the last quote from Kierkegaard. I think I'm going to print that for my Reiki wall.
Happy New Year, dear bee!
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