CECILIA WANJIKU GITAU: POWERED BY MENTOR SACCO TO CLIMB THE ACADEMIC LADDER
Cecilia Wanjiku Gitau is not your average teacher. Based at Njora Primary School in Murang’a County, this dedicated educator has transformed her life, her family, and her career through grit, determination and the unwavering support from Mentor Sacco.
“I joined Mentor Sacco in 2011, immediately after being employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC),” she recalls. “The Sacco staff members visited our school to market their services, and I found their offers very attractive. That is how my journey began.”
What started as a simple financial decision soon became the engine behind her lifelong dreams.
Access to credit, anytime, anywhere
As a full-time teacher, wife, and mother, Wanjiku needed convenience, and that is exactly what she found at Mentor Sacco. “With the technology platform the Sacco has developed , I can access loans and various services at the comfort of my desk using my phone,” she says. “Any time, any day, any hour.”
This level of accessibility has allowed her to manage school fees for her children, invest in a small business, and most significantly, advance her own education.
Financing her academic journey
Wanjiku began her teaching career as a P1 teacher, but she didn’t rest on her laurels. With support from Mentor Sacco, she enrolled for a bachelor’s degree in education (arts) at the University of Nairobi in 2015. But her hunger for knowledge did not stop there.
“After my first degree, I took another loan from Mentor Sacco and enrolled for a master’s degree in peace education, again at the University of Nairobi,” she shares adding that she graduated in 2023. Now, she is taking the final lap. “I’m currently pursuing my PhD in counselling psychology at the University of Nairobi, still with the help of Mentor Sacco,” she adds with pride. “Without the support from my Sacco, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
A true partner in progress
Wanjiku’s story is a testament that financial empowerment is about transformation. Through her relationship with the Sacco, she has grown professionally, a mother providing for her children’s education, and a woman with a solid financial foundation.
She has also used her loans to venture into a small business; creating alternative streams of income that supplement her household and academic needs.
Experience at the members’ education, information and training day
Wanjiku was one of the members who attended the education, information and training day (MID) that was organized by Mentor Sacco in Ruiru. It was held at the Ruiru Catholic Church Hall. According to her, it was incredibly valuable.
“This platform addresses questions we normally don’t get correct answers to,” she said. “I’ve learned that it is advisable to take a loan from the Sacco, because if you don’t, you’re letting others benefit on your behalf while you’re left out of the cycle of growth.”
A call to join Mentor Sacco
Her advice to fellow members of the teaching profession, whether just getting started, or nearing retirement, is clear: “Mentor Sacco is fit for every teacher. Whether newly employed or about to retire, there is so much value. The Sacco helps you grow from small to big.”
She also reflects on her past experience with other financial institutions. “I once joined a financial institution, but its credit was too expensive. You can’t compare the experience. With Mentor Sacco, it’s affordable and empowering.”
Wanjiku’s journey is a powerful reminder of the role that Saccos can play in nation-building. By investing in one member’s dream, they invest in entire communities. As she continues to climb the academic ladder, she does so with gratitude—and a strong belief in what Mentor Sacco stands for. “Mentor Sacco is the place to be when you want to grow. They have walked with me all the way and I’m still moving forward.”
