Nairobi Man Who Was Homeless In Year 2014 Graduates From Yale Law School 8 Years Later

A young Nairobi man named Joel Sati has gone down memory.

Joel was homeless in year 2014 and slept on his friend couch, 8 years later,
he graduated from Yale Law School. And next year he would be finishing his PhD in Jurisprudence and Social Policy at University of California, Berkele.

Sharing the testimony with friends on LinkedIn, he wrote:

On February 1st, 2014, I was homeless. I was put out on the street because I could not afford the rent for the half of the living room I was renting out at the time.

A few hours in, I texted a friend, asking him to loan me $35 dollars so I could go back to Maryland; my New York experience had come to an end.

My friend not only refused, but came from Brooklyn to help me carry my stuff to his place. I stayed on his couch until I was able to find other living arrangements and continue my studies.

Eight years later, I have graduated from Yale Law School with my Juris Doctor. And next year, I will finish my PhD in Jurisprudence and Social Policy at University of California, Berkeley. This journey would not have been possible if not for the support of professors, colleagues, friends, and even one-off acts of kindness at critical times. I am also thankful to support from The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, among others for recognizing the value of my work, and supporting it. Advanced degrees from the #1 law school and the #1 public university in the world? Not bad for a kid from the outskirts of Nairobi.

At my lowest, I realized that I could be whatever I wanted in life. If I failed, no one would be the wiser and I would be content with having tried. But if I succeeded? Well that would make for a hell of a story. Hence, here we are.

Source:Joel Sati|LinkedIn

Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com