Kaluma Boy, the 17-year-old TikToker who captured hearts online for caring for his ailing father, has been awarded a full scholarship to the East African University.
The announcement was made by Bishop Ben Kamau, popularly known as Muthee Kiengei, during a Thanksgiving Service at JCM Church in Ruiru on Sunday.
Kiengei revealed that Kaluma Boy will pursue a course in Sales and Marketing, with a focus on digital marketing.
17-Year-Old Kaluma Boy Earns Full Scholarship to East African University. Photo: Courtesy.
Emphasizing the importance of rewarding the young man’s compassion and resilience, Kiengei noted that ensuring his access to higher education would help transform his future and empower him to make a lasting impact in society.
According to Bishop Ben Kamau (Muthee Kiengei), the church—through its patron—had sought the scholarship opportunity for Kaluma.
However, he clarified that the church had no involvement with the money donated to the family.
The Thanksgiving ceremony took place just a week after thousands of TikTokers, members of the Nduthi Culture Community, and other Kenyans of goodwill visited Kaluma’s home in Othaya, Nyeri, to check on his ailing father.
The visit followed weeks of coordination through TikTok Lives and comment sections, after Kaluma’s videos documenting his daily life—working on the farm and caring for his father—touched the hearts of many Kenyans.
To ensure Kaluma’s father could safely attend the Thanksgiving service in Ruiru, Kiengei provided his ambulance for transport.
He also pledged to donate the ambulance to a new hospital that TikTokers plan to establish through fundraising efforts, citing challenges faced by many Kenyans seeking care in under-resourced public hospitals.
With Kaluma’s family now receiving assistance, the TikTok community has shifted its focus to helping Mama Gift—a fellow TikToker whose child requires medical treatment in India.
Speaking at the event, Kiengei vowed to lead the upcoming service in Embu and assured supporters that, following the visit on Sunday, arrangements would be made to ensure the child travels to India for treatment by Wednesday.
