Graduate / What else should we know about your financial condition in order to consider you for the scholarship [2]

money in my life

Money has never been a thing my family has taken for granted. My father works as a driver in a security firm where he earns something very low which is not able to cater for a three square meal for me and my siblings. My mother sells vegetables which earns her something but she doesn't provide for our upkeep since she is no more living with us because of their separation. Living in this kind of financial situation is very terrible and heartbreaking. Life has not been easy for me since childhood. I never had extravagant birthday parties, birthday or Christmas presents came once in a blue moon. My family never went on cruises during festive seasons. All of this did not matter to me though. But now with my younger siblings who are looking up to me as their senior sibling, I am more determined than ever to get a good education and become successful so I can help them achieve their set goals and also give them a better life. I currently have good grades but finances to continue my education to a higher level is a headache now. I will be glad if I'm offered this scholarship.

Graduate / Situation where you had to overcome a significant obstacle to reach a goal.State reactions & lessons [3]

There is a greater purpose in pain

I needed to be called a graduate too, so I held on to mother's words "If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lost".

It wasn't so long after I turned twelve when my Mom and Dad parted ways. I was the eldest and had two younger ones who were looking up to me. Though Dad was around I knew I had lost a great source of inspiration. My father remarried after we went through hell in the hands of his family members. My step-mum was good to us. She was a friend to the family so I had great hope things would be fine until it turned out to be exact opposite. She turned my Dad against me so I kept all my thoughts and worries to myself. Finances became a thing I started to worry about but God saw me through and I managed to complete my secondary education.

Thankfully I gained admission into the tertiary institution read Agriculture. I could not tell Dad about this because the relationship between us had grown wide. Funds to pay tuition and accommodation was a problem. Friends had to support me with loans (which I haven't paid yet) to supplement the meagre one Dad provided for me. I struggled with finances in school but I didn't let that affect my grades. God was there with me and I sailed through.

What I went through had the tendency of totally breaking me down but I don't regret going through all that because I got to know that there is purpose attached to every pain. Me being able to surf through the storm and emerging as the winner has given me the stands to help anyone who finds himself in a similar situation. There is purpose to pain.