Over the recent years, it has proved an uphill task for Kenyan nurses to secure a well paying job. The matter has been blamed on lack of goodwill especially after devolution units took over the management of health services.
As a result of this, Kenyan nurses have been forced to weather the unemployment storm by applying and relocating to developed countries for greener pastures. Previously, living the overseas dream was another painstaking long process full of unforeseen baggages.
However, it is currently possible for nurses to get employed in the UK within a short duration thanks to nursing agents that provide training and consultancy services.
One of such firms in KenyaNurse, which was founded around 2020 with an industrious nurse by the name Simiyu Paul_RN. This is the inspirational story and brief biography of the young industrious nurse as told by whownskenya.com.
Lost Mother To Childbirth Complications
Simiyu Paul was born and raised in Trans-Nzoia county and sadly lost his mother due to childbirth complications. According to him, even though the matter weighed down on him, it influenced him to pursue the nursing profession.
“My mother was a nurse and she died due to childbirth complications. I was curious to know the cause of her death and from that day onwards I wanted to become a nurse,” Simiyu told an online publication.
Education
Simiyu was educated at Maliki Boys High School in Bungoma County then proceeded to take a bachelor’s of science degree in Nursing at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. During his campus days, he served as the academics director of the students’ council.
Career
He was employed as a nursing intern officer at Kitale County Referral Hospital and after expiry of the contract got employed as a nurse tutor at Nzoia College of Nursing. He also lectured at Ortum Mission Hospital and Karen Hospital School of Nursing.
Relocating To UK; failed English test 4 times
With an insatiable desire for better nursing jobs, Simiyu sought to fly abroad. However, he realized it was a steep slippery climb because most agents charged an arm and a leg for one to secure a nursing job in developed countries.
Related: Monthly Salaries of Kenyan Nurses In The UK, Requirements and Expenses
Undaunted, Simiyu reached out to a friend who connected him to an international nursing recruitment agency called Wesolutions which successfully guided him throughout the entire process.
As required, a nurse immigrating to the UK must pass an English proficiency test called IELTS (International English Language Testing System). For Simiyu Paul, he only passed the exam after failing 4 times. He then secured an interview and did other examinations which saw his overseas dream come to reality.
Founding KenyanNurse Agent
Simiyu is the founder and managing director of Kenyan Nurse agency, a firm which was incepted to help Kenyan nurses secure employment in developed countries.
The agency was founded in the maiden days of 2020 with an interest in training nurses to tackle IELTS exams, align their CVs appropriately and basically get connected with UK employers.
Simiyu is so passionate about Kenyan nurses securing overseas jobs that one successful candidate once questioned if he ever sleeps. I had a short conversation with him and he detailed that his desire is to have all nurses regardless of their background access factual information and equal opportunities to better their career.
“I am so passionate to see a nurse from Kericho dispensary access international nursing jobs just like their friend in Kenyatta National Hospital. I desire to have everyone in the nursing profession understand their value so that we all bargain better in our respective interview room and not in the streets,” he says.
According to him, nurses relocating to developed countries can benefit the Kenyan economy immensely. He explains how they can be able to pump billions into the economy. According to him, countries such as India and Phillipines have been able to tap into this great channel.
“If manage to recruit 1000 nurses per year, these nurses can wire back home a minimum of Ksh 150k per month which is equivalent to Ksh 150 million monthly or Ksh 1.8 billion in a year.
Simiyu is also optimistic that nurses gaining overseas experience can be able to jet back into Kenya and establish world class hospitals. This will in turn boost the reputation of the career and influence the younger generation to pursue this noble career.
The first process for Kenyan nurses is to pass the English proficiency exam which tests on one’s communication skills in 4 key aspects: listening, reading, writing and speaking. After that, nurses are supposed to prepare for an online interview then sit two other exams that test on their competency.
In approximately 2 years, Kenyan Nurse Agency has successfully helped over 500 nurses to relocate abroad. Currently, they have offices in Eldoret and Kisumu which help in training local nurses in preparation for the IELTS exam. The agency charges ksh 15,000 for this training and books the exams for their candidates. An alternative for this exam is the Occupational English Test which KenyanNurse charges Ksh 20000 for training.
KenyanNurse Services
The agency offers a variety of services for both qualifed and nursing students. They take credit for being honest and professional in their service delivery. Other solutions in their portfolio are:
- Nursing and Midwifery Council Computer Based Exam training (NMC-CBT) and associated services.
- Personal statement writing guidance for students.
- Health Care and Professional Council (HCPC) registration for relevant persons
- General Medical Council (GMC) registration guidance for doctors.
- Curriculum vitae alignment for all healthcare professionals.
- Supporting healthcare workers’ and students’ overseas dream without IELTS/OET.
