The Kisumu ceremony was held at the Sunset Hotel overlooking the vast Lake Victoria. 9 interns who worked in Western and Nyanza Provinces – Anne Jaoko, Patricia Oyoyo, Nancy Okiri, Judith Nato, Gideon Kato, Mark Omollo, Mark Kisienya, Jackson Tiema and Emmanuel Oyugi - were present for the festivities. The Nairobi ceremony was held at the DOT Kenya Boardroom in Semco Business Park. The Nairobi interns namely Elizabeth Ndanu, Gladys Thiong’o, Angela Tatua and Alex Makokha were present. Carol Lunani was unable to attend but a presentation was made on her behalf. Representatives from CIDA, government ministries, other NGOs, MFI Institutions, DOT Kenya Alumni, DOT Kenya community partners and some of the beneficiaries were also on hand to join the DOT Kenya team to recognise the achievements of the interns.

Intern after intern spoke highly of their experience with the ReachUp! programme from the interview process, through the training and especially with their interactions with the community beneficiaries. “I felt that I have made a difference, particularly when my participants come back and tell me how well they are doing,” said Anne Jaoko. One of the participants at the ceremony, Lydia Otung’ shared her joy at getting a job with BAT Kenya in Nairobi just the previous day. She said that the training she received bolstered her confidence and she was accepted immediately. She hurried back to Kisumu so she could be at the ceremony and thank DOT and Anne in particular.

Gideon Kato also had a similar story. He credits the skills he received throughout the internship with his success at the interview for his new position at Faulu Kenya. “The thorough vetting process we went through to become interns definitely helped. I was less tense and the confidence I gained from the internship came through.

Several community beneficiaries of the ReachUp! programme were invited to make presentations at both ceremonies. They showcased different projects from liquid soap enterprises to fireless cookers to handicrafts. Which each presentation you could see enthusiasm and promise from all involved which they said they didn’t have until they took the class. Stella Illumba took up the handicraft business after she was laid off following the 1998 bomb blast in which she sustained permanent injuries. She has been participating in a handicrafts fair for the past 6 years in Rwanda, and in August this year, after she completed the ReachUp! training, she won the best exhibitor award. “I added value to the usual handicrafts around using simple adornments like beads and changed the presentation style in my booth. During the training we were asked to think outside the box and this is what I did,” she enthused to the rapt audience.

The ReachUp! programme has won many fans not least among the DOT Kenya Community Partners. Robert Sabwabi of Kenya Society for the Blind spoke about how the programme has become integral in the societies' offered programmes because it fits in very well with their mission. He credited it with energising the participants, both the visually impaired and  the sighted, to work for themselves. Bernard Omondi of Tuungane Youth Centre also was very happy with the programme, saying that the participants especially were very appreciative of the skills it imparted while at the same time imparting the ‘can-do’ attitude.

Mark Kisienya, Judith Nato and Alex Makokha were awarded as ‘Best Intern’ in each of their regions, namely Nyanza, Western and Nairobi, respectively. The ceremonies ended with an invitation from Gideon and Judith to attend their wedding the following on the 20^th of December.

Story by Joan Walumbe