“Mwalimu wa Maths… hapa ni wapi?” is a phrase Kenyans love to throw around when they feel they’ve ‘made it’. Kenyan math teachers have a domineering reputation, but Bob Mwiti, founder of the International Scholars Program has only gratitude to show for his maths teacher.
Today, he’s honouring his math teacher for helping him reach where he is now to the extent of sponsoring his teacher on a trip to America. Additionally, the maths teacher serves as the Field Team supervisor in Mwiti’s organization.
In a candid chat with Chams Media, Gideon Muriuki, Mwiti’s former math teacher, revealed that this was his first time travelling outside the country, all thanks to his student.
“It will be my first time out of Kenya. So it will be a historical event for me in my lifetime,” he shared.
Mr. Muriuki started teaching math in 1984 at Gikumene. Bob Mwiti met him in nursery school and always looked to Mr Muriuki for guidance throughout his primary education.
“I was a very good student generally and I think maths was my favourite subject. He used to support me a lot…sometimes you do extra assignments and I would take to him and he would look at them. He really supported me and he was one of those teachers who was interested in seeing me succeed,” Mwiti shared.
Their strong bond greatly influenced Mwiti’s success. The teacher noted that Bob was smart, obedient, and eager to learn.
“One of the things that I actually remember very well is that when I passed my KCPE, I was among the top students in Meru County. I got an opportunity to study at Nairobi school but I couldn’t due to my humble background. He took the initiative to look for a school for me and I ended up going to Nkubu High School in Meru County,” he continued.
Bob Mwiti joked about the day he first went to school when his math teacher noticed his old shoes were worn out and bought him a new pair. Little acts like that helped Bob become the person he is today and played a part in his journey to study in the United States.
He started the International Scholars Program in 2018 after facing multiple visa rejections for his master’s degree. On arrival to the U.S, he landed a job as an IT analyst, working on projects for some of the biggest companies in the country.
Courtesy of Bob’s scholars program, many students have found opportunities to study abroad. At first, all the airlift services operated out of the U.S. without a physical office in Kenya.
Over the years, Mr. Muriuki has kept in touch with Bob Mwiti, bringing some of his brightest students to him. Bob then helps finance their airlifting for further education abroad, making it possible for these talented students to pursue their dreams.
Fast forward, Mr. Muriuki found himself on a fully sponsored tour of the US. He and Bob explored many states, from Florida to Atlanta and from North Carolina to Virginia, even visiting iconic places like the White House and the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
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“There is his friend whom they last met 50 years ago at Meru Teachers College. We reached out to the guy and he was somewhere in Maryland. We went there, they met for the first time and it was emotional,” Mwiti shared.
So far, Bob collaborates with many universities in the US to help students pursue their dream studies. He has secured over $1 million in scholarships and unsecured loans for his community of more than 2,000 scholars.
Furthermore, he has managed to open offices in Meru, Nairobi and Zimbabwe where his wife comes from. Mwiti is a testament to what one can achieve when given the support and opportunities by the right people.
“Mwiti is doing an amazing job in that he is giving back to the community. I have witnessed him pay school fees for the needy at Nkubu Secondary School,” his Maths teacher said.
