When he boarded a plane for the first time on a trip to Turkey in 2009, the airborne experience happened to be the best he had ever had in his life.
Sosthen Bellat, a holder of Bachelors of Science Mathematics and Computer from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricultural Technology (JKUAT), was traveling to attend an ICT workshop in Istanbul.
The workshop was organised by Kenya Secondary Schools Headteachers’ Association (KESSHA) as a reward after he posted the best mathematics mean score in Uasin Gishu county where he teaches.
“It felt very special. I had a lot of reflections and it boiled down to my parents’ sacrifices to educate me to get that far. I made a vow to God that I would fly my parents so as they would feel the same way,” Bellat told TUKO.co.ke.
Remaining faithful to his vow, he shared the idea with some of his comrades in the Mumetet village who were in universities and colleges at the time he was also pursuing higher education.
“About 30 people embraced the idea. At first we planned to fly our fathers to Nairobi from Eldoret. Twenty five people finally managed to raise the required amount and in December 2018, our dads traveled to Nairobi via an aeroplane where they visited Nairobi National Park and KASS media studios,” he said.
Bellat said the trip was successful and ignited interest from other young people from neighbouring Ngoisa and Merewet villages, some complaining having not been asked to participate in the fathers’ initiative.
It is then that he and his friend Kibet Koinei initiated another initiative to fly their mothers to Nairobi as a way of appreciating their love and sacrifice of bringing them up.
Together, they raised funds and booked a plane to take their mothers to Nairobi, some of them not only it being their first on an aeroplane, but also inaugural visit to Kenya’s capital.
“We held a party to celebrate our mothers on Sunday, June 9, and they flew on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, to Nairobi from Eldoret International Airport. They will visit Nairobi National Park and a number of media houses. Thirty eight of the mothers are visiting the city for the first time,” Bellat explained.
As the plane touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Wednesday, June 12, the awestruck women could not hide their joy and broke into melodious Kalenjin songs in appreciation of their children's offer and God for the safe flight.
Their initial nervousness and anxiety as they boarded the big bird at EIA in Uasin Gishu had all been wiped out as the smiles of the women walking down the Jambojet plane stairs showed.
Bellat pensively said the move would not only fulfill their mothers’ dreams but would encourage parents to take their children to school and explore the world.