GENEROUS
As the Australian actor Hugh Jackman, host of the ceremony, prepared to announce the winner, those accompanying him from Kenya held hands and said a short prayer.
“In my heart, I told God that this man, Tabichi, needed to win because we were sure that he would make a positive impact on the society, just like he had been doing with his salary for the past 12 years since he started teaching,” says Ms Nyamboka.
As a Franciscan friar, he believes that sharing and being generous fosters freedom from attachment and proprietary instincts. “When you give generously, you also receive abundantly,” he says.
What does he intend to do with the Sh100 million prize money?
“Maybe a few personal items but the priority is not my personal needs but the people because they deserve it and have supported me all through.
Besides, brothers live in orders, we live in groups of five. Most of my needs are met by the society in which I live and I am comfortable,” he says.
“The fact that I don’t have a family gives me the freedom and time to do all that I do, which would probably not have been the case if I had one. But this is a personal choice, nothing against the institution of marriage,” he says.
And to those wondering if the prize money will change him he says, “This is the beginning of good things. If I let the money change who I am, I will have betrayed myself, the people who have supported me, and those who are willing to support me. However, I won’t try to be a robot trying to do everything. I will be focused but still maintain my character,” he says
