Humble Beginnings in Rural Kenya

Born in the rural village of Kakamega, Kenya, Aswani Kizito was the eldest of seven siblings. His family, belonging to the Luhya tribe, relied on subsistence farming, growing maize, sorghum, millet, arrowroot, yams, and bananas to survive. With no formal employment or steady income, his parents struggled to provide even the basics—food, clean water, and shelter.Life was unforgiving. During the rainy season, the children used metal sheets to channel rainwater into buckets—their only source of drinking water. They often went to bed hungry, their clothes drenched from the downpour, hoping the morning sun would dry them.At a young age, Aswani’s father remarried and left, placing the responsibility of his family on his small shoulders. Education seemed like an impossible dream—there was no money for school fees, uniforms, or books. But Aswani was determined.At just ten years old, he begged his father for a chance to go to school. One day, his father relented, and together, they walked 20 kilometers barefoot to the nearest primary school, carrying just $4. The school director, seeing Aswani’s potential, waived the fees temporarily, allowing him to enroll.

The Fight for an Education

Every day, Aswani woke at 5 a.m. for the three-hour trek to school. Without books or pencils, he listened intently in class, borrowing materials when he could. He was a bright student—always at the top of his class. But staying in school required more than good grades.To earn his place, Aswani took on cleaning and gardening tasks at school. On days when heavy rains made the journey home impossible, he slept on the classroom floor. To support his family, he worked on a teacher’s farm, planting pineapples and bananas. Whatever he earned, he used to buy food for his siblings. School supplies and even a uniform remained out of reach.When it was time for secondary school, Aswani faced the same obstacles—no money, no uniform, no books. But he refused to give up. He waited outside the headteacher’s office for eight hours. His persistence paid off—he was allowed to enroll.To pay his fees, he did whatever work he could find: clearing sewage lines, cleaning bathrooms, construction work, and even serving as a security guard. By 15, he received his first uniform and his first pair of shoes. He graduated as the top student in his school, but university remained out of reach due to financial constraints.