Starlon

Starlon lives in a single-mother household in Vihiga County, which lies in the western province of Kenya. As Kenya's most densely populated region, the high poverty rate has compounded the inadequacies in education, healthcare, and employment. Starlon and his mother have felt the impact of such wide social discrepancies. The most profound of these challenges for Starlon has been the expense of education. Although his mother always did her best to provide, they continuously faced insurmountable tuition fees. Throughout his school years, the ability to attend school was always tenuous at best.

As the daily stressors continued to build, Starlon found himself feeling hopeless and struggling with peer pressure. Although he grew up in a Christian household, it wasn’t until he attended Young Life camp that he felt life with Jesus had begun and decided to change his ways and begin following Him. Once feeling despondent, his outlook altered when he accepted the gift of Jesus. Now, Starlon feels joyfully expectant for his future and faithfully studies the Word and seeks Christian community.

As a Developing Global Leader, Starlon will attend Bomet University, where he will be the first college graduate in his family, pursuing a degree in education. This degree will allow him to lift his family from poverty and dedicate his time and attention to his students. In a society of so much inequality, Starlon hopes to be a voice for change and is optimistic that he can share his love of Jesus with everyone he encounters.