HOW I WON THE WAI SCHOLARSHIP

YOU ARE THE SECRET TO YOUR success – HOW I WON THE WAI SCHOLARSHIP.

WAI (Janet Clerk memorial scholarship 2011 winner)

When you commit yourself to a new way of doing things, when you take the first step, you make it possible for God to make out of you the person he intended. He can bring out strength you didn’t know you had. It was possible for me to live in a constant state of self-discovery.

It is always advisable to take some time out and think about things that help you make a better person. Thank God to my Brother Victor, friends like Kajuju (the President of the Women in Aviation in Africa), Trish (member of Women in Aviation International), and others who have charitable hearts and are ready to redefine the status of the society into admirable title.

Motivational articles raised me from the dead. If anyone would confirm it today, then life only once meant suffering and neglect. Thank God to my lousy brother, Victor who one day brought me an article “A pilot who can’t fly alone” This page inspired me a lot as miss Kajuju’s stories would always impress me whenever  I come across them in Kenya’s Dailies. I was encouraged that in whatever task I attempt, wherever I am, and whoever I am doing it for. It should be done well. I said to myself that time has come to forget how often I have tried and failed, ‘the I-can’t handle-it attitudes’! I had to fight for my dreams and so I contacted Miss Kajuju and we began Communication. She is loving; kind and understanding of which I knew a few people show to strangers. My friend Kajuju later introduced me to Trish; a WAI member during a ‘Wafric’ conference held in Kenya, founded by madam Kajuju. After some talks with Trish, she advised me to apply for the Janet Clark Memorial Scholarship 2011 with which I did.

During the application of the scholarship I persisted with a lot of consultation to ensure that nothing went wrong. I had strong hopes of winning it because I have never loved disappointments and therefore I promised myself not to disappoint anyone, Kajuju, Trish and everybody who were there for me.

Since I am the recipient of 2011 WAI Scholarship, my first plan is to achieve the best in college and not to disappoint those who believe in me. I’ll encourage more people not to give up in life, and stick to their dreams and to always celebrate every improvement they make, regardless of how small it is. This is because I believe when dealing with challenges one needs to learn to prioritize. I’ll also urge young people to set realistic goals that can be carried out. After this I will try to empower as many young women as possible who fall victims of various social abuse as a result of their poor financial status. Below are just but the 5 important steps that I believe guided me to the winning of this scholarship and you might be the next.

a)     Be Happy- This may not sound serious but it is packed with powerful meaning. Despite having a sick mother at home, I still had a chance to laugh and enjoy beautiful moments with my friends. Your Happiness is in your own hands; don’t ruin your very existence. Fill yourself with happiness and always find reasons for it.

Tip - Start your day with prayers. Distribute happiness around because it reflects back. Picture yourself as an evolving brand. Focus on content and style, then happiness will just follow.

     b)     Value relationships- Your family or friends are your precious possession. Nothing in this world can match their existence. Ignore them and you are up for failure. I learnt the importance of value when Kajuju and Trish became part of my life, since they supported all my moves.

Tip - Share happiness. Remember important dates. Talk often and devote much time. Make them feel important and wanted. Enjoy their company.

    c)     Kill negativity- Negativity has a serious impact on your personality and it is very destructive in nature. Keep yourself aware about your state of mind and if at any time you see negativity creeping in, dare yourself to stay away from it. Negativity led me in losing hopes in life.

Tip - Keep a check on your emotions and if they are not in line – take a deep breath to kill them. Say to yourself “I am not going to do wrong thing” and immediately change your thoughts. Remember bad emotions are momentary but they make us do blunders.

    d)     Don’t suppress your emotions- Suppressing your emotions creates a tension in your mind and body. It is like a volcano which has got built inside you and has been prevented from eruption. Many people fail to realize that it is only being human to let your emotions flow. Don’t think what others would think because they are no different from you. I suppressed myself with the fact that I didn’t have finances to further my education, but it was killing me softly.

Tip - Till the time you don’t offend anyone or cross norms of discipline there is no harm to let your emotions flow. It is natural to let your emotions react to situations in form of expression or feelings.

    e)  Forgive and smile- It is one of the best way to live life to the fullest. Revenge and hatred always keep your life off the track. While it is too hard for some people but it is never too hard to realize that committing mistakes are part of human nature only. On other side a smile on your face is good enough to take out sadness. I found peace and concentration when I forgave and forgot the painful murder of my father right in front of us.

Tip - Kill hatred and take your mind off the incident. Say you have forgiven and leave the negative thought. Start your day with smile and make sure to use it for every person. Apart from other things Smile is a recipe of success.

The happiness and success of your life is in your hands. No matter whom you are or what you do – you are the secret to your happiness and success. Live a positive life. My brothers and sisters who might get the chance to read this article, I assure you that I found my happiness when I joined Women in Aviation International (WAI). Thanks to the great women, thanks to them that helped me to dream!

- By Winnie Adhiambo