Siyabu’s Story
My name is Ellaton Siyabu a total orphan. If one’s family background can be traced through mother lineage, then I would say am the last born in a family of three. But if we trace it through father lineage then I am first and last born. Logically, this is so because the three shares different father from me. I was born on June 15, 1991. Currently, I am an undergraduate at Mzuzu University where I am pursuing Bachelors in Arts (Education) under the assistance of MCV. Below is my account on how I came into contact with MCV, how MCV has benefited me, how it is helping me and also an outline of my future plans both to my Nation and MCV.
Ellaton Siyabu – a successful MCV graduate currently studying at Mzuzu University
HERE IS AN INSIGHT OF MY LIFE STORY.
I am a child who has grown up without knowing and feeling love and care of a father. I lost him when I was just few months old. Since then, life became so hard for us since he was the only bread winner of the family. My mother tried so hard to make ends meet but all proved futile. Worst of all, people from my father took away everything from us dad left behind as theirs. The dark cloud covered me when I lost my mum in 2001 when I was still at Primary School. This was the beginning of my total orphan hood. My old grandmother took me but she couldn’t make it at all because she was old as stated and jobless. I became more or less like the head of the family in the sense that my grand relied on me for food. You can imagine how hard life was like. I could go to school with empty stomach, come back finding nothing at home and to some extent, sleeping without eating anything. I used to go out for fishing; thereafter I could go to maize mills to collect some left over flours. Day in, day out we managed to survive through Gods grace. Considering how at stake my life and school was, some well wishers adopted me. I saw this as sign of relief but life in this new world was not as promising as I thought it would. I was maltreated and tortured and decided to go back to my root. All these developments delayed my progress at primary school. Final blow came when I lost her again. I had nowhere to go until one of my friends picked me up. Currently, I am staying in an extended family with my jobless step sister. Its survival of the fittest here I tell you. At times we spend day and night without eating. You can imagine how hard it is for the jobless woman with five kids.
Ellaton (right) with his friend Morris Katunga, (also currently in university), as Gracious form 1 students in 2007.
I lost hope and was at verge of dropping out school because the future was as dark as my eyes could imagine. This was the case because I knew I had none to support me for my secondary school education. As I was sinking in the pool of thought of how useless life is, I saw the light at the end of tunnel shinning. In this regard, the light was MCV. It was one of its volunteers (Mr. Njereza, may his soul rest in peace) who introduced me to this organization and registered me as an orphan. Following its motto of ‘maintaining children’s vitality’, and that of assisting orphans in education and other sectors, I thought it wise to refresh my mind and start working hard at school. I was selected to government secondary school after sitting for Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education. This was the same year MCV opened its private secondary school (Gracious) which accommodate orphans for free. I was admitted there. I worked ultimately harder to the satisfactory of the management. Above all, to the satisfaction of MCV Coordinator Mr. Conor Brady who happened to be my mathematics teacher. The best I ever had. He was impressed with my behaviors and hard working spirit so much that he promised to continue assisting me if I would make it to University.
This motivated me so much. I continued working harder to the extent that I managed to get better points in Secondary School Certificate final exams. I was therefore admitted to Mzuzu University, where I am now Majoring Geography (Both Human and Physical Geography) minoring English. As it stand am in third year of my Bachelors. Apart from financial assistance, currently MCV has managed to get me brand new Laptop a machine my mind never dreamed of having because it is expensive here. I am grateful.
I must admit that I owe MCV a lot. As a matter of fact, I should make it crystal clear here that without MCV my life would have been useless thus making me to be unproductive citizen for both my society and country at large. As one way of showing my gratitude I do assist in some areas of concern (for examples, cleaning library, watering garden among others) during holidays. The recent notable development undertaken is that of teaching as a volunteer at Gracious Academy and I intend to maintain this.
As for my future plans it will depend if MCV will still be there for me as a shoulder. Nonetheless, I plan to end my education career up to Masters (if only I will have chance to study in USA, will be delighted). I also plan to work with MCV not as a teacher but something else MCV will find proper for me within or outside the organization because my Masters will not tackle education but rather a field to do with organization management. I know with this at hand I will manage to assist others where my hands can manage to. It is my plan and wish to extend this help to other parts of Malawi.
Lastly but not least, my write up will be incomplete if I do not extend my sincere gratitude to Mr. F. Chirombo, the director of MCV here in Malawi, all board and staff members and greatly Conor Brady and Jim Daly for their support, advice and encouragement respectively. Surely you are my Guardian angels.
Finally, on behalf of myself and entire community, I would like to give a big appraisal to MCV for what it is doing to us. It is my wish to let you know that I am not the only one at university under the fund of MCV. Similarly, it is not only in education sector that MCV is touching, but it is also addressing issues of social, agricultural (food security) and health care sector.
Am always moved and inspired with his Excellence the President of United States Barrack Obama’s slogan “YES WE CAN” And I say very louder that with help: I CAN ACHIEVE WHAT SEEM TO BE UN ACHIEVABLE. I CAN REACH WHERE MY DREAMS CAN TAKE ME TO!!!!!
