Justin Maroy

By Laura Kenworthy 2min read

When Justin Maroy (BA, Human, Social & Political Sciences with Management Studies 2015-18) graduated from Homerton, he returned to his birthplace, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which he had left as a small child.

“It was a homecoming in the sense that I felt a natural affinity for the place, I have a lot of family there and I know the language. But it was also a massive culture shock.”

Justin was in the DRC to expand the charity, the Maroy Foundation, which he and his father had established while he was still a student. Through two parallel programmes, in health and education, the Foundation provides 60 scholarships for primary and secondary students, and aims to expand into tertiary education. It has also founded a hospital which “treats first and seeks payment later,” unlike most local health provision.

“All our scholars also get free healthcare,” Justin explains. “The illnesses which keep students out of school in the Congo are things like typhoid fever and malaria – it’s not like flu.”

Getting used to cultural expectations, particularly around balancing leading with respect for one’s elders, was a bit of an adjustment.

“Our Director of Nursing has grandchildren who are older than me. I had to try to establish a sense of authority within the cultural parameters of respecting your elders, which was a bit tricky. Also, I wanted to make sure we were compliant, so always made sure our taxes were paid on time, which led to the tax collectors turning up en masse to see if they could squeeze more out of us. I had to adapt to different ways of doing things.”

Justin’s father passed away while Justin was in the DRC, which was both an enormous personal loss and left him running the organisation single handed.

“My father was the Chairman whilst I was the Chief Executive. He believed I had the skills we needed to professionalise the organisation. Suddenly I was by myself in a country which is mine but which I had never grown up in. But I felt a sense of duty and inspiration to keep things going.”

After 18 months in the DRC, Justin has now returned to London, and the Foundation is run by CEO Faraja Migabo. While continuing to serve as Chairman Emeritus, he is juggling roles at both a commercial insurance firm in the City, Oneglobal London, and as CEO at the education charity The Phoenix Education Trust.

“We’re trying to redefine how we see education, respecting the voice and agency of young people as equal partners,” he says.

As if that wasn’t enough, he is also training as a Reservist with the Honourable Artillery Company.

“I’m staying very fit and very busy!” he says with some understatement. “I think it’s important to be disciplined with your time.”