Why Grant Writing | Kenneth Kibii
When I think about my “WHY” grant writing the words of my late father comes to mind, “The legacy that you live is bigger than yourself; you will be remembered by how many lives you touch, not how much money you made.” Grant writing is a tool that will give a chance to someone of higher calling than just an individual. Getting grants will extend the act of service to the community, hence changing the livelihood and improving quality of life.
I was born and raised in Kenya. Being born and raised in the village of Eldoret, Kenya, is a testament of hard work, resilience, and persistence. My hope has been that one-day, I would become a medical doctor (neurosurgeon). I started way back when I was 15 years old — I already figured out my life early on. I had an idea of a wife to marry (a great friend, best mother to my children and best career (a medical doctor)). During my high school, I participated in sports, particularly track and field, which further expanded my knowledge of how the human body physiologically works. Fast-forward, I relocated to United States on an athletic scholarship to attend Missouri Baptist University, where I have earned business degree both undergraduate and graduate, but also with athletic accolades. I started out on biology-pre-med degree, but I changed because I travelled a lot to represent school in track & field nation wide and missed a lot of labs and classes. In addition, few months after arriving to United States, I received the devastating news of passing of my father, and I was devastated. But through determination and perseverance, I came out stronger.
Immediately after finishing my graduate school, the desire of working in the medical field resurfaced. I was born in a village where my home was 20 miles away from the hospital. I decided to go to nursing school where I earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The defining moment that really made me pursue nursing degree is when I visited the village I was born and found that my best friend and his wife lost their first born son on their way to that hospital. Also the experience of losing my dad and brother through a car accident was a turning point, as well. Both passed away simply because there was no immediate help that could have saved their lives. Therefore, I made a decision to fulfill my desire of being a health practitioner, such that I could save someone’s dad, brother, sister, aunt, or uncle.
My desire to extend my knowledge and enthusiasm to solve the problems faced by the healthcare industry today motivated me more to pursue my doctorate in Public Health Studies at Saint Louis University. I believe that through working in public health, I will have the opportunity to contribute to my community in Kenya. Nevertheless, in order to put my plans into action and improve the overall health of the neglected community, I need to have the necessary funding; this is the primary reason I want to write grants. Writing grant applications has presented me with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to work on my ideas freely. In addition, as I mentioned before, working together as a team is absolutely necessary for any intervention involving public health. Writing grants will provide an opportunity to work together with other successful public health practitioners.
My first encounter with writing grants comes courtesy of the grant writing class I’m taking. Before taking this class, I had always been under the impression that it was impossible to compose a grant before completing one’s doctoral studies. Since I started taking this class, not only have I picked up quite a few new skills, but I’ve also noticed a developing interest in the art of grant writing. My desire for pursuing a career in science is driven by my desire to conduct research that has a beneficial effect on the health of other people, and I feel that drafting grant proposals will play a significant role in achieving this goal.
