On receiving the calling letter to join Moi University to pursue a Bachelors’s Degree in Economics, Hatua pioneer alumnus Victor Mwandima Kasololo found himself at a crossroads. “I was sure my parents were not in a good financial position so I had to think out of the box”, narrates Victor. “There were many challenges for me to overcome that not only needed a strong heart but also a dynamic mind. I didn’t have much information then but I can remember discussing the cost of university education with my highschool mates not knowing for instance that student loans existed”.
He recalls meeting his then classmates Regina Benson and Mpime Mohammed to brainstorm on possible fundraising ideas. They had a couple of ideas but one seemed viable for them – to approach Hatua Network and ask for assistance though by this time the organization had not enrolled a single student into university. We planned to seek an appointment with Gabrielle Fondiller and Peter Kwame, the Co-founders and Directors of Hatua Network. “To our surprise, they agreed to meet us the same day.” The three of them had excelled in their exams and had excellent recommendations from their teachers. Though it was not within the organization’s budget, Hatua supported a couple of students to join University that year.
“My four years in university offered me a chance to view the world from the mountain top. Life is not always in line with our expectations. However with good guidance and mentoring one overcomes life’s ever-recurring challenges. I landed a teaching job as my first job after graduating from University. I taught at a local secondary school for almost a year and by this time Hatua was still structuring the Alumni Department. One Monday afternoon, I received a call that changed my life from Hatua’s University Mentoring Coordinator who asked me to prepare for an interview for an internship position at Spedag Interfreight. Indeed, Spedag called me the following day and scheduled an interview. I did the interview and was offered the internship position. I can never be more grateful to Hatua Network for this!”
Victor is now a Financial Reporting and Control Officer at Spedag Interfreight Limited, a logistics and freight forwarding company operating in Mombasa. He first joined Spedag as a Finance Intern and surprised his supervisor when he beat his six months target within four months of internship. This led to his confirmation as a management trainee. This came with more responsibilities than my first role and was an indication that more was expected from me. I treated the offer as a stepping stone to an even higher role within the organization. During this time, I realized that there was another vacancy for a finance intern and remembered there were students from Hatua pursuing courses in finance. I shared the application with one Hatua Alumni, Said Tungura, who ended up joining me at Spedag. Said was a fast learner too and soon enough, he got promoted to a management trainee.
Through Hatua Network’s University Mentoring Department, Victor had the privilege of being mentored by Hon. Mwakuwona, Danson Mwashako, who was then a former Relationship Manager at Equity Bank. Victor describes his mentor as one of the most fulfilled and effective professionals he has ever met. He remembers the first meeting they had on a mentors’ gathering at the Mombasa Sports Club in 2016. His mentor narrated how he rose from a Credit Administrator at Equity Bank to a Relationship Manager before eyeing the Wundanyi Member of Parliament Office in the 2017 General Election. “Danson told me that my life was a brand new book and I could write the stories the world would read about me years after”.
Spedag has since hired two more alumni to join their operations team and Hatua Network is extremely grateful for their support. The alumni are a big inspiration to the rest of the Hatua beneficiaries. We specifically take pride in Victor’s diligence and determination that has opened doors to fellow alumni to secure employment opportunities.