Reflections on the EFAC Experience with Simon Mwangi

EFAC Scholar Simon Mwangi joined EFAC in 2015, attended St. Mary's Boys School and recently received a diploma in Community Development and Social Work from the Technical University of Kenya. Simon recently joined Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital as an intern in the Social Work Department!

Simon shared a reflection on the EFAC experience and his motivations for pursuing a career in social work:

"My career journey began in high school after discovering my passion for working with communities. To accomplish this, I enrolled in Community Development and Social Work at the Technical University of Kenya. I wanted to study Social Work as I want to use my professional knowledge and skills to help people make the most of their own abilities and empower them to be the best they can be and also assist people in solving their own problems as well as empowering them to develop skills to be independent. Becoming a social worker is not just a career to me, it is a vocation.

Currently, I am on attachment at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in the Social Work Department. Some of the activities I am involved in include: pyscho-social and economic assessments, community outreach programs, home visits, repatriation/reintegration and report writing. Working here has led to my passion for mental health and how it affects the youth. I have also learnt how mental health patients are stigmatized in contemporary society and my goal is to create awareness and educate people on mental disorders and how to care for them.

Outside of work, I am a peer mentor with EFAC and through this have gained knowledge and skills which I use to inspire and tutor other scholars, as well be a role model to my siblings. I am also a volunteer and an active member of Touch a Child’s Heart (TACH) which is a community-based organization involved with mentorships, feeding programs, male circumcision, distributing reusable sanitary towels to girls and economic activities such as beekeeping and honey harvesting."

We are so proud of Simon for his driven nature and commitment to supporting change, and for finding a way to weave that into his career path! This is the EFACtor - changing one life has an impact on many!

The EFAC community is here supporting Simon and all of the EFAC scholars entering the workforce since graduation earlier this month! We can't wait to see what you do next!