This is my essay for Stanford's prompt 3. Any comments/suggestions are welcome. Feel free to be brutal. Thanx
My paternal grandparents were poor people from rural Uganda. With no formal education and only a meager income to go by, they struggled to support a family. Putting my father and his 7 siblings through school was difficult for them and often times, my grandmother was forced to sell some of her clothes to do so. With luck and hard work, my father finished his schooling and in turn gave my sisters and me the opportunity to achieve the same.
Following a lot of introspection, I finally arrived at an answer as to what matters to me the most. The truth is I yearn to pass on the torch of opportunity that I was so blessed to receive to others in my community using resources available to me.
Over the last three years, I became involved in a book drive at my high school aimed at collecting books which were then delivered to slum based schools in Nairobi. For the first time this year, I was offered the chance to lead the campaign; Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. Using my role as prefect and student council representative for my class, I prepared a series of assembly presentations that raised awareness for the cause and encouraged students to actively partake. However that was not enough. I wanted to take it a step further; to reach to my community on a personal level. For that, I pioneered another project within my class. Along with the library books, we delivered student made board games that we then taught the pupils how to play.
There is no deeper sense of belonging, no greater connection I feel when I am able to make a positive change for someone else. To step out of my comfort zone, to take initiative in building a stronger community is what drives me every day. To give hope, to be part of something bigger than myself motivates me to dream bigger and aim higher. In turn I hope to give someone the torch of opportunity so that they too can be empowered to pass it on.
My paternal grandparents were poor people from rural Uganda. With no formal education and only a meager income to go by, they struggled to support a family. Putting my father and his 7 siblings through school was difficult for them and often times, my grandmother was forced to sell some of her clothes to do so. With luck and hard work, my father finished his schooling and in turn gave my sisters and me the opportunity to achieve the same.
Following a lot of introspection, I finally arrived at an answer as to what matters to me the most. The truth is I yearn to pass on the torch of opportunity that I was so blessed to receive to others in my community using resources available to me.
Over the last three years, I became involved in a book drive at my high school aimed at collecting books which were then delivered to slum based schools in Nairobi. For the first time this year, I was offered the chance to lead the campaign; Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. Using my role as prefect and student council representative for my class, I prepared a series of assembly presentations that raised awareness for the cause and encouraged students to actively partake. However that was not enough. I wanted to take it a step further; to reach to my community on a personal level. For that, I pioneered another project within my class. Along with the library books, we delivered student made board games that we then taught the pupils how to play.
There is no deeper sense of belonging, no greater connection I feel when I am able to make a positive change for someone else. To step out of my comfort zone, to take initiative in building a stronger community is what drives me every day. To give hope, to be part of something bigger than myself motivates me to dream bigger and aim higher. In turn I hope to give someone the torch of opportunity so that they too can be empowered to pass it on.