Reward
Reward and sister Mary struggled throughout their secondary educations but after the deaths of their parents and abandonment by extended family. Tumaini supported Reward throughout university where he earned a degree in Information Technology but his social personality and love of business led him into the safari business and he found Bingwasafaris.com and hosts all of our Tumaini safaris! You will see him often at Tumaini, paying it forward by helping out his younger Tumaini kakas (brothers) and dadas (sisters) or giving a volunteer a lift!
Story of Reward
DOB – October 15, 1990
Came under Tumaini care January, 2010 – as a graduate, Reward no longer requires sponsorship support!
“My name is Reward Evance Minja. I was born 15th October, 1990 and I am 20 years old. I have two brothers Kelvin and Nelson and one sister Mary. I am the first boy born in our family. Both my parents died. I started primary education at Leganga School for 1997 to 2003. I passed to secondary school of Uraki Secondary School from 2004 to 2007 which is government school. After we lost our parents we began to have very serious problems to our family. After my father died school fees became a great problem to us and my sister and I were returned home several times, something which made our results poor. Also, our relatives discussed to sell our house but they failed, we opposed them because we are mature enough. I studied with problems until I finished Form IV in 2007. When we were waiting for results our mother died. I didn’t pass to join Advanced Level because I lost one credit. Things became worse because my sister wanted to start Form V, my brother wanted to start Form I and there was no money to pay school fees and our parents didn’t leave anything but the house. The nuns helped my sister, Nelson found help and I had a volunteer help me with fees and we sold clothes in order to fulfill our school fees. When I was Form V I repeat Form IV at the same time. It was difficult. I was taking Science subjects, physics, chemistry and mathematics because my hope is to become an engineer. God helped me and I was second out of seventeen students in Form V subjects. I joined Form VI until I finished this year 2010 in February. I sing in my church choir and I play guitar and keyboard. I also like drawing.” Reward Minja (written in 2010)
We were fortunate enough to send a small piano, two guitars and a keyboard over in the container we shipped over and Reward, one of the VERY few accomplished musicians in the village, plays them and has kindly offered to teach our children. I marveled too at this fact until he explained that he is a member of the choir in the Lutheran Church in Usa River and that he learned to read music and play through that affiliation.
After graduating, Reward desired to begin his own safari business which he is working hard to grow. He purchased his first safari vehicle and hopes to purchase another soon. Reward organizes all of our Tumaini safaris and we ask volunteers/visitors to book with him also as he is one of our Tumaini children and spends much time, money and energy paying things forward to his younger Tumaini siblings! He has a very funny story he will share if you ask about the name of his safari business “Watoto wa Bingwa Safaris and Tours! www.bingwasafaris.com.
