Life as a Jigsaw Puzzle: My Timeless Impactful Journey

“Man is born broken. He lives by mending…” Eugene O’Neill.

Who ever knew a child born out of an incestuous union will get this far? On the 16th March 2018, I was awarded the most coveted university award, the Chancellors Roll of Honor Award. I was awarded for my excellence in academics, leadership and diligence. However, this did not come easy. My view of life is as a jig saw puzzle. Putting together a jigsaw puzzle is frustrating. It takes time to put it all together and there are no short cuts. I am on a journey, a timeless impactful journey.

Children born out of wedlock, and in particular those of us who are born out of incest, suffer in silence from all sorts of discrimination, yet we committed no crime. In 2014, my home area was highlighted in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) feature, “Saving Kenya’s children born of incest”. I consider myself lucky to be alive. Sadly, the feature revealed that children born out of incest were killed during delivery. It wasn’t until 1999, when I come of age that the truth about my birth circumstances was finally revealed to me by my grandmother. My mother did not have the courage to tell me. While growing up, branded as an outcast, getting a basic need was a privilege and not a right. In 2010, I was denied my rightful inheritance. Amidst all, Education has been my amour. Starting a fresh, I had to put up new sections that fit. Though late, the pieces started to fall into place. I graduated from law school in 2016 at the age of 3o years because of my patience and perseverance.

I consider myself work in progress right up to the last piece, the masterpiece. It all began in September 2012 at the age of 26 when I won a scholarship to study law. I consider this experience as the most important in my life. I made good use of my time while in campus. My dean, Professor Kang’ara, having graduated from Harvard Law school (HLS) emphasized on the Socratic pedagogy. In 2nd year of my studies, I had already written my first newspaper article that got published in the leading Kenyan newspaper. In 3rd year, I served as the student President in the Student Council. In 4th year, I attended the 52nd Harvard National Model United Nation (HNMUN) in Boston, Massachusetts. This was my first maiden trip beyond the borders of Kenya. I grabbed the opportunity and spared some time to visit the prestigious institution, Harvard University. My heart and mind have never settled ever since. Like a piece of a jig saw puzzle, this piece fit in perfectly.

My hard work paid off. On completion of my studies, I was offered employment at an international NGO, Norwegian Refugee Council-NRC. I was hired to pioneer Information, Counseling and Legal Assistance program in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Amazingly, in November 2017 to January 2018 a team from HLS visited Kakuma Refugee Camp. They had come on a field assessment and research mission. NRC Kenya and the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School (IHRC) had collaborated to carry out research on refugee movement and livelihoods in Kakuma. Their visit was directly under my auspices. To date we are now very much part of each other’s lives, professionally and socially. I cannot begin to imagine the kind of network I will get to build given an opportunity at HLS and how impactful that would be. Like another piece to the puzzle, this was carefully destined to happen.

My decision to seek admission at HLS is well informed without an iota of doubt. It is my ultimate choice. Today, HLS facts throughout all the centuries speak for itself. HLS pragmatic approach, Socratic Method, will make me think critically, intensely and independently. I am excited about the opportunities the HLS Clinics offer and the way those clinics employ practical approach to real life issues when they research. I am particularly interested in the Harvard immigration and refugee clinical program.

My understanding of HLS during my visit is that it appreciates diversity and values everyone’s opinion. As a student leader I was required to manage and accommodate diverse opinions and needs of the student body while articulating these with the university management. I am also impressed by the strength and activeness of HLS Law’s student organizations. I am challenged to establish a global movement that will seek to protect and raise awareness of children born out of incestuous relations. It wills the first of its kind in the world.

Professionally, I have realized huge gaps between theory and practice of refugee rights. My employment came at a time when the Government of Kenya issued a directive to forcibly close Dadaab Refugee camp. Moreover, Somali refugees are not being registered and in 2017, the president of Kenya refused to sign into law the 2016 Refugee Bill. I am confident that HLS will prepare me as an expert and a researcher that is committed and will contribute in fighting for refugees’ rights against oppressive states.

An opportunity at HLS coupled up with my previous and present successes and experiences will open me up to the international sphere to continue to share to the whole world my timeless impactful journey.

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