Live by the three 3Ds. Dream. Discipline. Determination"

"I was born and raised in Korogocho, the third largest slum in Nairobi. I was the fourth born in a family of nine and we used to live in a single house with our dad and mum. My dad was a cook at the University of Nairobi Canteen and he used to walk to and from work daily. From an early age, I had this gut feeling that education was my only hope out of the abject poverty I was living in. In school I befriended my deputy head teachers son and we became study partners. The teacher, a Mr. Kariuki, would buy books and other school items both for me and his son. I am grateful to him to date. At home I couldn’t study or do homework because our house was small and the family was big, so Mr. Kariuki opened his home so that I could study with his son on weekends. I was always number one, and his son would be second or vice versa. But despite all the hardships I managed to be the top KCPE student in Kasarani Division. My dad couldn’t afford Mang’u High School which I was called to. He was actually proposing that I join the jua kali sector as a mechanic. After hearing my case, my friends at St. John Catholic Church in Korogocho came together and raised enough for me to pay first term in Dagoretti High School. Unlike me who had meager possessions of donated second hand uniform items and sh20 pocket money, I sat in class with children of very wealthy prominent Kenyans. I was always being chased from school because my fees were always in arrears. During school visiting days I would be traumatized watching fellow students being visited by many relatives with huge shopping bags and good food. I rarely got visits, save for the few times my sister came by and brought me a bag of chips and sausage from Luthuli. But the determination to liberate myself and my family from the yokes of poverty kept me focused on my studies. During holidays I would walk from Korogocho to MacMillan Library in in town and back to study, since our single house was too crowded and there was no library nearby. But I scored an A minus and joined the University of Nairobi, where my dad worked as a cafeteria cook. He was so excited that he introduced me to all his colleagues and seniors, including his boss whom he graciously assigned the task of helping me chose the courses. After college I did community work in Korogocho before clinching a scholarship to do a Masters in Public Policy in Duke University in the USA. When the call to present profiles for elections to the position of Special Advisor United Nations Habitat’s Youth Advisory Board came, I presented my profile. It was subjected to a global vote where it got the highest number of votes. Through this UN position, which I hold to date, I have travelled the world, spoken in global gatherings and met and shared platforms with presidents and key global leaders. I also sit in the youth boards of other international bodies like the World Bank. I started Raphael Obonyo Foundation which helps needy and bright kids from Korogocho as a way of giving back to this community where I grew up. I always share the story of my life journey to inspire many young men and women out there born in disadvantaged places and positions. I always urge the youth to live by the three 3Ds. Dream. Discipline. Determination"