Post Chevening life; Impact of YPMP alumni in local communities. (Part 1: Robert Omwa)

When scholars talk of prestigious study opportunities around the world, the Chevening scholarships often makes it to the top list of options for consideration. Since 1983, the highly competitive international award program has continued to nurture the dreams and ideas of several people through education and network. The Chevening Scholarship is the United Kingdom government’s international scholarship and fellowships program funded by the Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organizations.

Since the inception of the Young Professional Mentorship Program (YPMP), two alumni members have had the honor of being awarded the Chevening scholarship. Robert Omwa was awarded the scholarship in 2021 to study Master of International Education and Development at the University of Sussex. Esther Chebijira was awarded the Chevening scholarship in 2022 to pursue a Master’s degree in Inclusive Education: Research Policy & Practice at the University of Glasgow in the UK. Both alumni of YPMP Class of 2020, the duo successfully completed their studies and returned to their home countries where they continue to impact lives and cause positive change in society.

Through this two-part interview, we shade light on their experience and post Chevening life of impacting lives in the local communities.

ROBERT OMWA, AN EDUCATOR FROM KENYA

Robert Omwa is an alumni YPMP Class of 2020. As a mentee from Cohort 1 and currently serves as a mentor. Robert is a Kenyan educator with experience teaching in Primary, Secondary and in High Schools. He is currently a tutor at Seme Teachers Training College. Robert is on a mission to ensure that school are safe for all children to learn without fear in Kenya and beyond. He trains teachers on Positive Discipline and school safety. He also spends his free time on youth mentorship.

When and how did you get the Chevening scholarship? What course did you study and where?

I am a Chevening Scholar class of 2021/22. I studied my Master of International Education and Development at the University of Sussex, the world’s number one university in international development. I won this prestigious scholarship in the COVID-19 period. I would say COVID-19 was a blessing to me. I had time to soul search and decide on what I wanted to study and where and I also had the time in my hands – during the lockdown- to work with mentors and sharpen my application essays.

How did the YPMP mentorship prepare you for Chevening?

I owe my Chevening award to YPMP. The mentorship I got opened my eyes to the opportunities around me and the possibility of getting them if I prepare well. The person and the life of the Chief Mentor Agnes Igoye also fired my dream to study abroad. As if that was not enough the preparation I got from her helped me to go to the UK and conquer. I went, I saw and I conquered!

What aspects of the Chevening scholarship experience were most impactful to your career development?

I was greatly impacted by my stay in the UK. But the most was on Decolonization Discourses; It hit me like a ton of bricks how decolonization conversations are loud in the West that in Africa where it actually had the highest impact. This greatly changed my outlook on issues. I see how multinationals make decisions that affect the lowest person in Africa, governments, education. This has made me be an Educator who is more globally oriented but more rooted in Africanism- inward looking. In short, after study abroad, I loved Africa more!

How are you currently utilizing the knowledge and experiences gained to impact your life or community?

As I teach, I draw to the attention of the teachers and young people I work with, the opportunities and the splendor that there is in Africa. I have also managed to localize the best practices that I have learnt in the UK in terms of pedagogy and delivery of content.

And am also able to leverage on the networks I made while I was away in the UK to add impetus to my pet project of ensuring that students do not suffer violence in schools.

How has the Chevening scholarship experience transformed and impacted your personal growth?

After my study in the UK, I have been immersed into a large pool of Chevening Alumni that dates back to 1980’s; in this pool I get to learn a lot from them. I am also able to influence educational policy from forums that I am invited to by the Chevening alumni.

I also think the culture shock I experienced in the UK, and the reverse culture I experienced when I came back to Kenya really humbled me and made me to be patient with people and myself. Moving from a place where I would say systems seems to be working to where they barely do. Simply humbles.

As a current or future leader, how is the scholarship shaping your leadership style and problem-solving approaches in your community?

I used to talk a lot before I went for my masters. Nowadays I talk less. Lol! I hope so! But the reason I think this is so is because I want to listen to people more. Africans are the experts of their lived experiences and at no time would anyone claim that they want to empower/liberate or give them voices. I feel as a development practitioner I draw more from this understanding. Even in my classes, with the teacher I work with and the young people I work with, I draw from them and I encourage them that they have the solutions to the challenges in their societies. No one is going to come from outside to save them.

Considering that the Chevening scholarship attracts several social impact scholars, how is the knowledge and skills attained from the scholarship helping you to address social, economic or political issues in your community?

The fact that I find myself in pool of over 50,000 alumni worldwide in different sectors from health to education to finance, some are even presidents of their nations I feel energized to follow my passion relentlessly and to tap into their energies. I am able to collaborate with them to make impact both locally and globally. The sense that I have a brother, a sister literary anywhere in the world is so comforting that we are together in this .And am not alone.

If you managed to build some networks and nurture new relations, how have these networks and collaborations enriched your personal and career experiences? How are you currently maintaining these networks?

With floods currently ravaging Kenya, it is so comforting to get calls from all over the world of people wanting to know if you are safe or not. That family feel is unique. I have also just loved to celebrate people weddings and other special days with them. And when cheveners from other countries come to Kenya the reunion is just remarkable and it just feels good.

Were there any specific challenges you faced during the scholarship? if yes, share some and how you overcame them.

I really missed my family when I was away. But thanks to technology I managed to hold weekly check-ins with them on video calls and that did the magic. Initially academic writing was a challenge but with the help of my Academic Advisor Dr Sean Higgins and my YPMP mentor I got the gist of it and I did well in my studies, even graduating with a Distinction!

How would you describe the overall impact of the scholarship to your personal and career development?

Overall impact? Life- changing.

I was the Best student Leader in the student council at Sussex University 2021/22. You can guess what this did to my leadership. Among other wins at Sussex University,  I believed I can make take the bulls by the horns and create meaningful change; collaboratively.

How have the lessons from your Chevening experience enhance your role as YPMP Mentor?

You can’t give what you do not have. Chevening Scholarship has boosted my self-confidence; remember as a mentor you must have something to share. So can easily guide my mentees and tap from my own personal experiences to help them maneuver the careers and self-development quest.

What does the future look like for you? What are your career aspirations and how is the scholarship contributing to your attainment of these goals?

I want to study PhD and better support the education sector in Africa, by coming up with policies that aptly address the need of the African child. My masters which I did well in, I know will open ways for me when I will be ready to take this next move.

What advice would you give to aspiring future Chevening scholars? How can they maximize the opportunity of such a prestigious career offer?

If you are an aspiring Chevenor, apply. You will get admitted. When you get there occupy that space well, don’t second guess yourself. Participate I class fully, take leadership positions, take part in sports etc have mad fun. Tell the world what you are made of and remember you are an expert in African issues and nobody should tell you about Africa is they do not have proper lived experiences.

Any advice to youths aspiring for career growth and development

The fact that you are thinking about self-development and career growth shows that you are on the right track. So, go for it. If you get setbacks rest, but do not stop. Make very good use of what you have, where you are, when you can. Use the internet greatly for your advantage and not to your disadvantage.

END

N.B: Lookout for Part 2 where we share Esther Chebijira’s interview