By. Sr. Fridah Giteri
Michael Jabari, a government teacher in Naivasha, credits the Sisters of Mary Immaculate of
Nyeri for giving him an opportunity to pursue education when poverty had forced him out of
school. Through their financial support, guidance and care, the sisters helped him complete his
education, train as a teacher and build a future in which he can support others.
“The sisters picked me up when I had nothing and placed me in a classroom. That classroom
became my home and my future,” Michael said.
Michael and his twin brother, Justin Baraka, dropped out of school in 1991 because their family
could not afford school fees, uniforms and books. Their circumstances changed after they met
Sister Cecilia of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Nyeri, who listened to their situation and
presented their case to her superiors. In 1995, the congregation received the boys and enabled
them to return to school.
The sisters paid their school levies and provided uniforms and textbooks. They also followed up
on their homework, encouraged them in their studies and offered guidance, counselling and
spiritual formation. When Michael lost his mother in 1997 and his grandmother in 2003, the
sisters supported him through the losses and ensured that his education was not interrupted.
After completing secondary school in 2004, Michael continued receiving support as he discerned
his future. In 2006, the sisters facilitated his admission to Kamwenja Teachers College, where he
graduated in 2008. He began teaching in schools belonging to the sisters before securing
government employment in Naivasha in 2018.
Reflecting on the sisters’ contribution, Michael said, “The sisters did not just pay school fees.
They became my mother, my teachers and my guides. They taught me forgiveness, hard work
and how to stand as a man.”
For Michael, education provided an opportunity to move beyond the difficulties of his childhood.
Today, he is a teacher, husband, landowner and homeowner. He also seeks to support others,
having experienced the challenges of growing up without the resources needed for basic needs
and education.
“Education is what changed my story. Without school, my life would have taken a different
direction. With the school, I was able to buy land, build a house, and now I teach other children
so they don’t go through what I went through,” he said.
Michael’s experience reflects the educational mission of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate of
Nyeri, whose educational charism dates back to their foundation in 1918. Through their support
for children from vulnerable backgrounds, the sisters seek not only to provide access to education but also to restore dignity, break the cycle of poverty and form responsible citizens who can support others.
Michael’s journey demonstrates how the sisters’ commitment to education, combined with
personal guidance and care, helped him overcome barriers to schooling and prepare for a future
in which he now educates other children.