Wiser

At 19, I spent two months in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, promoting STEM education at an all-girls high school. These girls were the most hardworking people I’d ever met, waking up at 4 a.m. and studying until 10 p.m., dreaming of a college education that could change their lives.

But as I got to know the community, disillusionment set in. Kenya’s job market is disconnected from its education system, leaving even the brightest graduates jobless. Many girls, despite their dedication, end up trapped in poverty, marrying older men in exchange for livestock. I felt hopeless, questioning the value of my work. After the program ended, I boarded a random bus to Tanzania, feeling my presence had been futile.

On the bus, a local man who had worked for Chinese employers approached me, curious about why a young Chinese girl was there. I shared my frustration, and after a long silence, he invited me to lunch. Over black beans and chapati, he told me about a “mzungu” lady who visited his school when he was 13. He only remembered her saying, “Think outside of the box.” That simple phrase guided his life, leading him to Nairobi and a successful career.

“I don’t even remember her name nor her look. But I pray for her every night. I thank her every night.”

That conversation struck me deeply—for so long, I had been seeking visible “impacts” to satisfy my own sense of heroism, but in reality, the seeds of change had already been quietly planted.

I am infinitely grateful for this journey of feeling miserable, helpless, and small. Nevertheless, I believe only through suffering and hardship, we truly see, learn, and understand. I am the one who is truly educated by this experience by facing the brutal real world. But pushing through the darkness, I stand in soberness, knowing how much is yet to be done. It is this humbling journey that set me up on a path that sees bigger.

Hey, just keep doing the right things.

I am constantly working on viable ways to do more, please contact me if you would like to be part of the effort!