On the 9West Building Westlands, in Nairobi, I meet with Isaac Awinyo, a pilot at Emirates and Starehe Centre alumni. Our meeting is not by coincidence but one that has been arranged for the World to learn a thing or two if not ten from his story of giving back to an institution that molded him.
Education
Awinyo carries with him a charitable heart, a trait his father wished for him from a tender age prompting his parents to enroll him to the Starehe Centre.
“Starehe was a representation of the country, it hosted students who represented each background, poor, orphaned, rich with parents and those from average backgrounds,” Awinyo notes adding that the institution merged its students into one big family.
Awinyo holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nairobi where he graduated with Upper second class honor’s in 1997 before proceeding on to the Military where he flew helicopters till 2002 when he joined Kenya Airways.
At Kenya Airways, Awinyo worked for 12 years which enabled him to gather sufficient experience. Awinyo proceeded on to Masters in Strategic Planning at the Edinburg University specializing in Airline Operations.
What is your experience at Emirates?
“I fly the Triple Seven Passenger Inflator at Emirates; it’s a priceless feeling and opportunity to interact with various cultures in the World,” Awinyo says.
“Emirates enables me to mostly operate in Dubai which is a pleasant place and extremely safe,” Awinyo says adding that Dubai is a hub for tourists given the friendly nature of people in the Arabian Country.
“Emirates is a complex organization, jobs are well defined and employees are motivated, it’s like a jig-saw puzzle, everybody has been given their role to play which enables perfect results,” Awinyo says.
Awinyo Secures Sponsorship for Starehe Centre
Awinyo has had the opportunity to work with Emirates for the last 2 years and 4 months now. “Emirates is charitable and has a foundation that is in my desire to give back to the society which nurtured me,” Awinyo says adding that Starehe was the first institution that came to his mind.
“Starehe center used to sponsor boys who could not afford university fees, the Late Griffins acted as a father to us all and squeezed in whatever the institution had amongst us to avoid sending students’ home for lack of school fees,” Awinyo says.
“I sought help for Starehe at the Emirates Foundation through a proposal I addressed to the Emirates Foundation,” Awinyo diverges adding that Emirates took up the full sponsorship of 10boys. The 10 boys would have Emirates fully cater for their expenses from form 1 to form 4. The 10 boys are spread out in the country from Kisumu to Nyandarua and Moyale to Wajir, from Kwale to Kakamega.
“Life is merit-based and the boys were chosen based on merit, I am grateful to Emirates for having come through for the needy students at Starehe Centre,” Awinyo says adding that Emirates also has an exemplary working package for its employees.
Emirates benefits package to include;
- Schooling for your children
- Accommodation for your family
- International Health Insurance
- Transport to and from work
- 30 days of compulsory leave
- 12 days off every month
“Emirates as a global brand want to positively impact in each Country it operates in, I am grateful to be a part of the journey to make a difference in Kenya which has begun with Starehe Centre,” Awinyo says.
“I believe in a merit-based society, everyone should be given a chance and what Emirates is doing at Starehe ought to be replicated in other institutions,” Awinyo concludes urging the youth to believe in their dreams to attract the Globe to conspire to see them achieve it.