From Humble Beginnings to Harvard: The Remarkable Journey of Ed Magema

 

The Remarkable Journey of Ed Magema  

At the border of West Pokot and Turkana lies Weiwei Secondary School, an all-boys institution facing challenges familiar to many remote Kenyan schools. From Humble Beginnings to Harvard: The Remarkable Journey of Ed Magema  With no access to water and only seven teachers, the school had not seen a student admitted to a university in over two decades. However, against all odds, one youngster from the school defied expectations and soared to academic heights.  Busy Kenyans, Learn Valuable Copywriting Skills with Tuko in Short, Focused Sessions. Enroll Today! Edwin Wekesa Magema, a staunch Seventh-day Adventist, shared a grass-to-grace video on TikTok about his achievements. He credits his success to the discipline his faith instilled in him but disclosed that it was not easy. "I had to create a boundary, like say no to mock exams on Saturday despite the principal asking so. On Sundays, I was the only one not going to church," he told TUKO.co.ke. His academic prowess was evident when he scored an A in KCSE, becoming the top student in Rift Valley and ranking sixth countrywide. Magema's achievements did not end there. He was enrolled in the Equity Bank internship program and went on to receive six full scholarships, including offers from prestigious institutions like Yale and Harvard. Opting for Harvard, he flew to Boston and embarked on a rigorous academic journey, studying Math, Physics, Statistics, Biochemistry, and Advanced Writing. Despite the challenges and demands of his studies, Magema thrived at Harvard, attributing his success to the ample resources available for learning. His academic excellence was recognized when he won a $10,000 (KSh 1.3 million) summer tech grant for scoring an A in an Engineering class. It was a feat that also afforded him the opportunity to travel the world and broaden his horizons. Graduating with a degree in pure mathematics, Magema returned to Kenya and began his career as a consultant in international development. However, he soon resigned to become the managing director of a fintech company, a position that allowed him to further impact his community and beyond. He also left the fintech after a while and spent his free time authoring a book on how to navigate the path to Harvard. Recently, he and a friend founded Univus, a social media platform aimed at connecting individuals with similar educational backgrounds and interests. He believes that his story offers hope for students facing similar challenges, showing that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible. 

by  Hillary Lisimba