How the Universe Gifted Me a Scholarship Instead of Chocolates on Valentine’s Day. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that deadlines are suggestions—at least when divine intervention is at play!
It all started around February 1st, when my sister’s friend, Nimu (we call her Madam), casually mentioned this exciting Power Learn Project (PLP) software development scholarship. As a perpetually broke second-year data science student, I was immediately interested! A fully funded, hands-on tech program? Sign me up!
I rushed to apply—only to realize that the deadline was actually January 31st. 😭 A whole day late. Imagine showing up to a job interview after they hired someone else. That was me.
But here’s where fate flexed its muscles: my birthday is February 14th 💘🎂. Coincidence? Please. The universe basically winked, tossed confetti, and said, ‘Happy early birthday kiddo—here’s your redemption arc!’ PLP’s deadline magically stretched to mid-February, like a cosmic gift wrapped in Python syntax and GitHub repos. My special day, tied with a ribbon of opportunity, felt like fate itself was rooting for me. I didn’t hoard the miracle—I conscripted my friend into this code-fueled quest (because misery and miracles demand a squad, right?). Now we’re debugging Spartans, slashing syntax errors by dawn 🗡️ and side-eyeing burnout by moonlight. Divine intervention? Nah. Call it #DevineIntervention—because PLP didn’t just save my career; it armed me with a keyboard and a vendetta against semicolons. 🚀
From Theory to Hands-On Learning University: Lectures about theory from 1995.
PLP: “Here’s Git, GitHub, and AI. Go build something.”
University is great. But let’s be honest—it’s not always hands-on. PLP, on the other hand, throws you straight into real-world coding.
We’ve covered everything from:
✅ Git & GitHub (because if it’s not on GitHub, does it even exist?)
✅ AI, Coffee & Code Sessions (the perfect blend of caffeine☕ and machine learning🤖 )
✅ Hackathons (because what’s better than coding under pressure?)
✅ Startup Building for Developers (because dreaming of building the next big thing isn't just for Silicon Valley.)
The PLP Avengers—Cameroon’s Mystery Man & My #2 Trophy PLP’s secret sauce? The people. Meeting people from across Africa has been a highlight!
One standout? Ju-Nine Ngu Cho from Cameroon. Now, I can’t confirm if that’s his real name, his true identity remains a mystery (PLP alias maybe?), but check the leaderboard—he’s sitting comfortably at #1. And me? Well, I’m #2. Not bad, right? 😏
Shoutout to my virtual squad: John, Ridge, Antony—we’re The Ctrl+Alt-Elite Club. Newbies and pros, crying over Python loops together. Can’t wait to meet IRL and awkwardly realize none of us look like our Slack emojis.. But that’s the beauty of PLP—we learn, we grow, and we lift each other up.
Juggling Coursework, PLP, and Exams (Send Help 😅) Balancing university coursework and PLP is no joke. My exams start in five days, and I have assignments and CATs due both at school and PLP. Oh, and did I mention there’s a hackathon on the same day my exams start?😭
Monday: Calculus II exam and hackathon. Tuesday: Cry in the shower. Wednesday: Pretend I’m okay.
🙃 But hey, I believe in myself. I got this.
The good news? PLP is only a few months long, and I know I can manage. Time management is my best friend right now.
My Final Project (And Why I’ll Never Trust You) I’m building something revolutionary for the final pitch. What is it? Nice try, Zuckerberg.
If I spill the details, some rogue coding wizard will steal my idea, launch it by sunset, and I’ll wake up to Terryanne Chebet on Citizen TV screaming, ‘Kenya’s NEXT BIG TECH INVENTION!’ while Steven Letoo, in his signature ‘Kwani ulifikiria aje?!’ tone, interviews the thief live from Silicon Savannah.
Debugging my code feels like tackling KCSE Maths Paper 2 after a week of 4mwk-level procrastination. One wrong loop and I’m sweating like a principal waiting for KNEC’s ranking. But hey, at least here, Chakin and JS Daddie won’t shout ‘Mlianguka vibaya sana!’ …probably.
Appreciation Time! 🙌 A huge thank you to the entire PLP team for making this experience so incredible. Special shoutout to:
Mumbi Ndung'u – Executive Director, Power Learn Project Sasaki Kenji – Chair of the Governing Council, Power Learn Project PhD Isaac Kega – Principal, Power Learn Project Suzan Kamau – Assistant Principal, Power Learn Project Chakin Kim – Software Engineering Essentials Module Lead Gerald Macherechedze – Database Module Lead Zablon – Database Instructor Evans Mutuku (JS Daddie) – Python Module Lead Nelly Alili – Startup Building for Developers Module Lead Eddy Lugaye – Web Development Module Lead Eric Murithi – Dean of Students Moureen Milgo, Vivian, and the entire PLP team!
This journey has been transformational, and I can’t wait to see where it leads. If you’re considering applying for the next cohort—DO IT! It’s intense, it’s exciting, and it’s absolutely worth it.
For now, I’ll get back to balancing exams, coding, and trying not to lose my spot on the leaderboard.
Until next time—keep coding and stay awesome! 🚀
By: Ngugi Kamanu - 📊 Data Strategy & Governance Advocate || 🚀 Data Science & Software Dev 🖥 || ♟ Chess-Inspired Strategist || 🤖 AI for AgriTech
