When Bossville Imbosa first walked into the compound of Strathmore University, he had no idea that his life was going to change forever. And it did. Having grown up in Kibera slums, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, he had never imagined studying in such an environment.
As he puts it, “I had lived all my life in Kibera slums and not once did I imagine that I would be in such a wonderful place.” What stood in his way was an opportunity in the form of school fees.
For Imbosa, like many young people growing up in the slums, opportunities often seemed out of reach. Surrounded by poverty, he soon found himself immersed in the world of drug abuse of drugs and petty crimes, which made his early education very difficult. Despite all this, with the help of a few people, he managed to join New Horizon Secondary School, where he got a C. Even though this was a great achievement, it would not open the doors to university.
Yet, his journey was about to take an unexpected turn.
A Turning Point
Imbosa became part of the Macheo program, an initiative by Strathmore University, where students from the slums are invited to Strathmore to spend time over the weekend to learn in a different environment and interact with their mentors. It is through this that his perspective changed, and he started seeing life in a different light. This experience planted a seed in his mind that made him look beyond his limitations.
Shortly after completing secondary school, he was awarded a full scholarship to pursue a Diploma in Business Information Technology (DIPT) at Strathmore. Upon completion, Strathmore offered him another scholarship (50%) supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for his degree program in Business IT.
The remaining 50% was topped up by students from the IESEA program (an exchange program which connects Spanish and Kenyan students through academic collaboration and exchange.
“What shocked many people is the fact that with my poor educational background and my drug abuse history, I still graduated with a First Class. It was so easy for me,” he says.
From Student to Professional
After graduating, the university offered him an opportunity through its work-study program, allowing him to gain professional experience, even while continuing to develop his technical skills. “Strathmore trained me and offered me a junior position in the IT department to continue sharpening my skills, while earning some money for my sustainability.” Recently, in October 2025, he was promoted to an officer in charge of ICT infrastructure, a role that has enabled him to find a better place for himself, support his mother in paying school fees for his young siblings, and do occasional shopping for them.
Paying Forward
The impact of the scholarships and support that Imbosa got can be seen in his off-work activities. He has spent all his weekends with young people from different slums. Under the community outreach program still at Strathmore, he offers training, mentorship, and coaching for young people who have been in a similar situation. He spends his time handholding them, changing their perspectives, inspiring them to improve their attitudes, escaping peer pressure, and teaching them how to navigate different subjects.
“This is the thing I am most proud of,” he says. “When I think about how many lives are changing, it reminds me why training, handholding, and supporting everyone matter,” Imbosa says.
A Ripple Effect of Opportunity
Such experiences and stories continue to shape Strathmore University Foundation (SUF)’s efforts for equitable and high-level education for all. Through its partnerships and initiatives, the foundation is able to provide scholarships for so many students who would have otherwise not had an opportunity to study and transform their lives and livelihoods.
The foundation helps in unlocking opportunities for not only the individual students, but for entire communities and everyone else whose life will be changed by the ripple effect of that one scholarship offered.
“The focus goes beyond this. We are looking at touching lives in all aspects. And we have seen the ripple impacts in the families that are now supported by the beneficiaries, the companies that have been started, the jobs that have been gotten, and the lives transformed.” Says Christine Ochieng, Executive Director of SUF.
Imbosa’s experience captures the long-term impact of SUF on touching lives.
Currently, SUF is working toward establishing a multifaceted modern complex that will further enhance the learning experiences of the students to ensure that, because of the knowledge they acquire in class, they will be able to have an opportunity to test, re-evaluate, and launch projects in their line of study. The complex, whose construction is ongoing, will house modern facilities in Artificial Intelligence, Technology, data, cybersecurity, and other learning pathways.
As stories such as Imbosa’s continue to unfold, opportunities to transform more lives remain open. Through the Strathmore University Foundation, students from underprivileged communities can find better pathways to transform their lives. Partners, alumni, and like-minded supporters are invited to be part of the journey and ensure that more young people can have access to education, with the ripple effects being uplifted families, communities, and transformed generations.
