Professor J: From Danger to Doctor

Jamamashu  •  Kenya

Jamamashu goes by the nickname Professor J. and, like most good nicknames, it was earned in the court of public opinion: his classmates gave it to him because he’s always studying.

A few years ago, school was only a dream for Professor J. and one that he couldn’t afford. He was born into an impoverished family in a region called Ganze, where almost nothing grows. There, the landscape is sandy soil, rock, and what the Kenyans call “unproductive trees.” It’s one of the country's poorest regions and has one of the highest rates of sexual abuse and incest.

To make things worse, Professor J. lives with albinism. Without access to sunscreen or shade, he couldn’t work outside to help his family, as his light skin would burn in minutes. It also meant he couldn’t walk the miles it would take to get to the nearest school. And without learning to read and write, he had no hope of a job where he could work indoors.

He also had to think about a different kind of safety. Myths in Kenya incite the hunting and selling of those living with albinism by witch doctors. As a child, he lived in constant fear.

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ON THE RISE

When we found Professor J., it was obvious that he was a genius- an actual genius. He has a razor-sharp mind, an intense work ethic, and the desire to learn that you hope your kids will have. When he joined our program, he read everything he could by any light he could at any time he could.

He sailed through elementary school and gained admission to Kenya’s top-tier high school. Now he’s sailing through that too.

Professor J. wants to train as a doctor. He desires to provide his community with the kind of healthcare he needed early in life but couldn’t access.

Without you, Professor J.’s chance at survival was low, and his goals of becoming a doctor were obsolete. Because of you, Professor J. will be able to help others.