Seven days.
A fee balance of KSh 140,000.
End-of-semester examinations are fast approaching.
Home is thousands of kilometres away in Liberia, and unless the outstanding balance is cleared, you will not be allowed into the examination room. Your family manages to raise only KSh40,000. The remaining amount still stands between you and everything you have worked for.
For many students, that would have marked the end of the semester. For Sabarie Ansu Williams, it became the moment that revealed the true power of generosity. A bursary made possible through the VC Run now the Strathmore Annual Run bridged the gap, allowing him to sit his examinations and continue pursuing the degree he had crossed borders to earn. Today, Ansu’s story stands as a reminder that every registration, every donation, and every runner can become the reason a deserving student stays in school.
To understand why that bursary meant everything, you have to travel back to where Ansu’s journey began.
In 2018, Strathmore University travelled to Liberia in search of bright young minds deserving of an opportunity. Among the students watching was a young boy who loved Mathematics and dared to imagine a future far beyond his hometown. Today, that boy is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Data Science student at Strathmore University. His journey is proof that a scholarship does more than pay fees. It unlocks potential, changes lives, and creates future changemakers. “When Strathmore came to Liberia, I saw students receiving scholarships and I told myself, ‘One day, I will study there too,’” Ansu recalls.
That dream almost slipped away. When COVID-19 disrupted travel and recruitment, Ansu enrolled in Civil Engineering in the University of Liberia, believing his chance had passed. But fate had other plans. When Strathmore returned, he attended the Open Day held in Liberia, sat for the aptitude test, shared his passion for Mathematics, and earned a 50% scholarship. “I chose Data Science because it combines everything I love about Mathematics. Back home, there wasn’t even an undergraduate programme in Data Science. I believe I’ll be among the first graduates in this field in Liberia,” he says.
For Ansu, however, receiving a scholarship was only the beginning of the journey. “I knew it covered only part of my tuition. My father is the sole provider for our family, and besides tuition, there was accommodation, food, and all the costs of studying in another country. I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” he explains.
His father, a local petrol seller in Liberia, carries the responsibility of supporting the entire family. Despite everyone’s best efforts, there were moments when paying the remaining fees seemed impossible. “There were many times when my dad simply couldn’t raise the money. Whenever that happened, the Financial Aid Office welcomed me with understanding instead of pressure. They reminded me to do what I could and keep going. They became family,”Ansu says.
That support carried him through year after year. Then came the defining moment he had feared. Despite his 50% scholarship, Ansu still had a significant fee balance of the very KSh 140,000 that stood between him and his examinations. His family managed to raise only KSh 40,000, leaving him uncertain on whether he would be allowed to sit for the end-of-semester exams. “I honestly didn’t know how I was going to sit my exams,” he remembers.
Then came the VC Run Bursary.
“I received KSh 60,000. It wasn’t a loan. It was support I never expected. Instead of worrying about school fees, I could focus on preparing for my exams. That bursary gave me peace of mind, relief, and motivation,” he says.
For many participants, the Strathmore Annual Run is a morning of fitness, community, and purpose. For Ansu, it became the difference between uncertainty and opportunity. “Every person who registered for the VC Run 2025, donated, or supported the Run became part of my educational journey, even though they may never know my name. Without those individual contributions, the bursary fund would never have reached students like me,” he says.
His story tells the true impact of the Strathmore Annual Run. Every registration fee, every donated shilling, and every kilometer completed helps deserving students stay in class, sit examinations, and continue pursuing their dreams through scholarships and bursaries. “People may think KSh 2,500 is simply the cost of participating in an event. They don’t realise it can become the reason a student completes their education,” he reflects.
Today, Ansu’s dream extends far beyond graduating.
“I want to become a statistician and help improve data systems in Liberia. I also want to mentor young people because someone invested in me, and I have a responsibility to invest in others,” he says. That same spirit of giving back already defines his life at Strathmore. He is a pioneer member of the Strathmore Maths Club, an active member of the Strathmore Christian Community, and a mentor to Liberian students joining the University. “Whenever a student from Liberia arrives, we make sure they know they’re not alone. We help them settle in, guide them through campus, and even prepare food that reminds them of home. Sometimes what someone misses most isn’t just family. It’s familiarity,” he says.
Looking back, Ansu believes his journey has been shaped not only by scholarships and bursaries but by people who chose to care. “I always tell myself to build a family wherever I go. For me, family isn’t only your biological relatives. It’s also the people who support you, encourage you, and walk with you through difficult moments,” he says. That is exactly what the Strathmore Annual Run makes possible. It transforms generosity into opportunity and strangers into silent champions of another person’s future.
So, why should someone sign up for this year’s Strathmore Annual Run? Ansu doesn’t hesitate.
“Because every registration creates an opportunity for a deserving student who simply needs someone to believe in them. You may never meet the student whose life you’ve changed, but your participation could be the reason they complete their education and go on to transform their community,” he says.
Then he offers a reminder every runner should carry to the starting line: “Because someone chose to run, I was able to sit my examinations without worrying about my fee balance. I was able to continue my education with peace of mind. I hope that, because someone chooses to run again this year, another student will experience the same opportunity I did.”
Ansu is preparing for this run. Are you?
Usiachwe nyuma; here is the registration link: https://run.strathmore.edu/
Article written by Nekesa Teresa
