“My work, my family, and our farm are what makes me grateful” says security guard at QF

Their smile is the first thing that greets us when we arrive at our workplaces and universities. But behind that smile is an important task, which is to ensure the safety of all of us.

They are the security guards who are familiar faces to so many of us. And Wilson Wachira, the security guard at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation, is one of them.

“To me, everyone who enters the campus is noticed – whether they notice me or not – and my role here is to provide them with a safe and stable environment, and to offer them assistance when they need it,” he says.

Wachira sees his role as not being limited to providing security services, and assuming responsibilities that require accuracy, constant vigilance, and also physical fitness, but also building a relationship based on communication with members of the Education City community – a relationship that he has established during four years of working at QF.

He gets up early in the morning and sets off for Education City at 5 am to begin his duties, maintaining order, providing protection, watching out for any inappropriate behavior, and also welcoming those entering the building. It's hard work, but he says the years he has spent at QF here have given him a sense of belonging and gratitude, both to the place and to the faces he sees every day.

“I love my profession, and I am grateful to be here, where I feel like I'm at home,” says Wachira. “In fact, Education City is like a second home to me."

In addition to the continuous training that Wilson receives in the field of security services, he studies social services remotely through a course at Stony Brook School in New York, and he is keen on watching documentaries and reading books that develop his personality.

“Although I came to QF as a security guard, seeing the motivated students and skilled professors always motivates me to learn and develop myself,” says Wilson. “I want to immerse myself more in the unique environment of Education City to benefit as much as possible from my work experience here.

Through his work in Qatar, Wachira has also his family in Kenya, where his brother has recently finished university. His vacation will soon take him home, and he says: “My mother is waiting for me in our small village in Kenya, and I am excited to see my sister and brother as well as to work on our farm,” he says.

Reflecting on what life has given him, Wachira says he is grateful for all he has, and that being in Education City makes him “a lucky person”, as he gains new experiences and friends every day.

"I’m also grateful to my mother who made me a better person, taught me how to smile at life with confidence, and how to pass on that smile to others." Wachira continues.

"Smiling means telling others that whatever daily challenges they are going through, you are here to listen and support them.

“You can only feel grateful to all the blessings in your life, and for me that is my wonderful work, my beautiful family, and even the green farm that I love, Isn't it enough to be grateful for life and to keep your smile all the time?"