Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Fund launched

From left: Prof David Sperling, Hon Dalmas Otieno, and Mr Wilfred Kiboro at the launch

The Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Fund was launched at The Serena Hotel in Nairobi on Friday, 31st October. The Minister for Public Services, Hon Dalmas Otieno, an alumnus of Strathmore presided over the launch of the fund. Kshs 500,000 was raised, and another Kshs 1,000,000 was pledged during the launch according to the fund chairman, Mr Leslie Mwachiro.

The fund targets to raise U$1,000,000. The fund will give scholarships to students who exhibit qualities similar to Kevin's. These are excellence in academics, outstanding sportsmanship, and a great concern for others through community service.

Mr Wilfred Kiboro, a member of the Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Committee paid tribute to his friend of 45 years. "I knew Kevin in 1963. He taught me Maths in A levels and our 1965 class registered a 100% pass rate. When I went to the University of Nairobi in 1966, I found him there. He taught structures to the Civil Engineering class," Mr Kiboro told the gathering of over 100 people at the launch.

"With the world at his feet as the best graduating engineer in the whole of Ireland in 1955, he chose to serve others selflessly. He was a family friend and came to see my wife in maternity whenever we were blessed with a child. My children knew him simply as Uncle Kevin," Mr Kiboro related.

"Kevin was meticulous in whatever he did. He made Maths and Structures and everything else he did and taught seem so easy. He was very organized. He was an inspiring achiever, and a sincere person and mentor," Mr Kiboro reminisced.

"Kevin related very well with everybody. He mingled freely with his students who in the 1960s were almost his age. And despite his achievements, he perfected the art of passing unnoticed," Mr Kiboro said.

Hon Otieno said that at Strathmore, they were trained to value themselves. "People with values are more valuable and value their work. The rule of law is failing in our country because we have not inculcated values in people like Strathmore inculcated values in us. If we had more Strathmores we would not have seen the violence that rocked the country early this year," he observed.

"Kevin taught us that there is something good in every person and that when we serve others, we serve God. He believed in developing people, he was not presumptuous – he knew much and said little. In his honour, I named my son Kevin," Hon Otieno said.

Kevin came to Kenya in 1958. Prof David Sperling, the first principal of Strathmore College said that when he came to Kenya in July 1960, he found that Kevin had already bought the land that Strathmore School stands on today. And he had also used the land to get a loan which he used to finance the building of the first structures for which he (Kevin) did the structural designs. Ed Hernandez who has since retired to USA was the buildings' architect.

http://strathmorefoundation.org/2008/11/03/alikis-journal-9-honoring-strath-legend-kevin-obyrne/

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/486238/-/tlj2vf/-/