Teresiah’s Story
I grew up in a small village in Kenya. My father was a farmer and he worked hard to give my eight siblings and I the best life he could.
I was lucky enough to have parents who never went to school themselves, but knew the value of education. As such, I became passionate about education from an early age.
After high school, I taught English for more than 30 years. I loved my job. I took care of the children, not only in class, but also outside of class.
Most of the girls I taught dropped out of school to get married at 12 or 14. In Kenya, when a girl gets married, her parents get money for her.
I wanted so desperately to change this, but anytime I got the opportunity to talk to a student’s parents, it didn’t go well. I became an enemy of society. I had to flee.
I found myself in Texas and when I registered at North Central Texas College (NCTC), I was told about the Catholic Charities Education Navigation program and applied right away. Without this program, I would not have completed my studies. Catholic Charities helped me financially by helping pay for tuition to electricity, and everything in between.
My Navigator helped me physically, mentally and spiritually. At the time, I was in the middle of a dangerous divorce and was experiencing health issues. My Navigator was my pillar of strength.
When I cried, she cried. She never made me feel like I couldn’t achieve my dreams. She was there for me both academically and personally.
My Navigator and I made a plan to stay a week ahead of all my classes. We discussed study skills and stress management techniques. Later, as graduation neared, we worked on test preparation and practiced my interview skills.
When I missed some exams due to an illness, my Navigator worked with NCTC to schedule make-up tests and keep me on track.
I graduated from NCTC Gainesville last month as a Licensed Vocational Nurse.
I am looking forward to serving people in need, especially people in pain, physically and emotionally. I’m a caregiver by nature. I might not be a doctor, but I know how to make my patients feel better, faster, by treating them with respect and dignity.
This is the same way my Navigator made me feel. Many times, when I came to the end of the road, she gave me hope. It’s the best thing you can do for somebody, and it is what Catholic Charities does every single day.
Sometimes I still cry when I think of my school back in Africa. Anyone that tries to ease human suffering, I treasure them. This is what Catholic Charities does, they ease the suffering of those around them.
If I make someone feel better as a nurse, it’s because of Catholic Charities. They’re not just changing students’ lives, but the lives of everyone that their students touch, as well.