Riara Group of Schools Founding Director Daniel Gachukia had his fair share of disappointments during his formative years in 1930s.
Gachukia grew up during a time of immense unrest during the war of Mau Mau and education was not considered a very important tool.
As he indicates in his book, Homecoming: Through the Eyes of Three Generations, his education was enabled largely because of his aunt's defiance towards her father.
During the time, the aunt, Wanjiku, had been offered to an old man for marriage at a relatively young age when he decided to run away from their home in Kiambaa, Kiambu, to Ukambani region.
While in Ukambani, she settled down with one of the warriors and relatives who knew her family reported back to Kiambu that she was happily married.
Wanjiku's brother Lazaro Gachukia, the father to Daniel, then moved to Ukambani with several other relatives. It is in Kangundo that Daniel had a shot at attending school.
A few years later, in 1931, the locals would sent the Gachukia family away back to their home in Kiambaa for a while but they were later allowed back.
Gachukia, while living with his aunt, excelled in his primary school and was admitted to Machakos High School. He left the institution for Kagumo High School before joining Makerere University.
Upon return, his career took off and he became the Charge de’Affairs at the Kenyan Embassy in France. He would later rise through the ranks to the position of Chief of Protocol for nine years to 1974. His nine-year term was the longest serving in the role.
Meeting Wife
While studying in Makerere University in 1953, Daniel bumped into his future wife Eddah at Nairobi Train Station. The two had both booked the train to the institution.
They courted for 4 years and later tied the knot in 1956.
In 1974, the couple joined forces and set up Riara Group of Schools which is now estimated hit annual revenue of Ksh1 billion.
"The Riara Group of Schools was founded by Mr. Daniel and Prof. Eddah Gachukia in 1974 as a commitment to the development of a whole learner. The education concept at Riara is one that goes beyond the conventional classroom and syllabus-based learning," reads a statement on Riara University Website.
In Nairobi alone, the school has expanded to include six independent institutions running from Kindergarten to tertiary level and offers both the 8.4.4 and British curriculum.
In her own right, Eddah Gachukia is also a respected educationist and served as the first woman VC of Moi University. She was also nominated to Parliament between 1974 and 1983.
