- Nafula was no longer Kioko’s girlfriend when she relocated to the US, but she never stopped believing in his potential
- Quietly and without credit, the caring woman helped her ex-boyfriend secure a full scholarship and a visa to America
- She reiterated that the move was not meant to prove a point, but a reminder that sometimes belief outlives love
When Nafula Sharleen looks back at 2015, she laughs at how unbelievable it still sounds to everyone, herself included.
Source: Facebook
Long after her romantic relationship with Kioko had ended, she quietly set in motion a plan that would change his life forever.
How Nafula helped Kioko
In a post on Facebook, she recounted how she helped him relocate to the United States on a full scholarship, simply because she believed in his ability.
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It was not about rekindling love or proving a point, she says, but about recognising potential and refusing to let it go to waste.
Kioko had grown up in hardship in Nairobi’s Eastlands, attending a day school and still managing an A– in his KCSE, an achievement Nafula felt spoke volumes about his discipline and intelligence.
Through her wide social circles, she had learnt of a private scholarship programme in the US designed to support bright but underprivileged students.
When did Nafula help Kioko relocate?
In 2014, without even informing Kioko, she gathered his certificates and documents, created an email account in his name, and applied on his behalf, unsure whether it would amount to anything.
The moment the acceptance letter arrived, complete with a full scholarship and the paperwork required for a student visa, Nafula knew she had to tell him.
Kioko was stunned and initially thought she was joking when she told him to start preparing for visa processing.
What followed was a whirlwind of embassy bookings, interview coaching, explanations of unfamiliar terms like SEVIS and I-20s, and even school documents being delivered to a family address he barely understood.
Source: Facebook
When did Kioko move to the US?
In August 2015, Kioko received his visa; a month later, he was on a plane to the US to chase his American dream.
Today, the man still struggles to explain how he got there and admits he would not even know how to apply for the same scholarship himself.
For Nafula, the story is one of many quiet acts of help she has extended to others seeking opportunities abroad, often without gratitude or recognition.
Yet she remains unfazed. Hosting diversity visa lottery winners and supporting others, she says with a smile, is simply “God’s work.”
JCM church helps member relocate
In another inspiring moment, Jesus Compassionate Ministries (JCM) church pastor Muthee Kiengei shared the incredible story of a member who relocated to the US.
Kiengei narrated how the congregant named Jackline, who hailed from Korogocho slums, won the green card lottery but faced financial hardships.
With her dream of starting a new life abroad almost dying, the church intervened and made it possible for her to travel.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
