A needy girl from Shanti Slums in Trans Nzoia County has received help from well-wishers after the Western Kenya Times published a story on her plight to join secondary school.
Christine Atai, who scored 320 marks in her past Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), had failed to join St. Teresa’s Girls Bikeke, where she was called, for lack of school fees.
The pupil approached our Western Kenya Times Correspondent in Kitale, Mike Musungu, and narrated that she had missed a chance at St. Teresa’s Girls Bikeke as well as other affordable local schools such as St. Columbans.
Her story went viral and caught the attention of well-wishers, including the ANC Trans Nzoia County Chairperson, Ronald Wanjala, and the Trans Nzoia ANC Senatorial candidate, Dr. Martin Bulimo Wakoli.
Ronald Wanjala said he read the story of Christine Atai in the Western Kenya Times and shared it with Mr. Bulimo before they reached a conclusion to assist Christine Atai.
Ronald Wanjala said Christine Atai has been sponsored for four years.
“I saw the story online and I wanted to know more about it. Through the Western Kenya Times correspondent here, we managed to trace where Christine Atai lives.
“We started with purchasing a few things for her immediately and managed to pay her school fees. I want to appreciate the Western Kenya Times through their correspondent for highlighting the story of Christine Atai from the slums that touched us. I also want to appreciate all who participated in ensuring Christine Atai goes to school like any other student, ” Mr. Wanjala said.
The moving story also pushed other well-wishers to act, including Beverley Karani and Grassland Primary School teachers, led by Mrs. Mary John and headteacher Samson Chang’orok, who contributed other things that were needed in school during reporting day.
This comes barely a month after another story by the Western Kenya Times helped two sisters from Lugari in Kakamega County secure full sponsorship to secondary schools.
Happy Christine, happy family
Christine, who would like to pursue nursing in future, appreciated her teachers and all the well-wishers who ensured that she joined Form One to fulfill her ambition.
Her mother, Elima Aseka, appreciated all the people of goodwill who stood in to ensure her daughter went to school.
The slum problem
According to Samson Chang’orok, the headteacher of Grassland Primary School where Christine studied, majority of pupils are being raised by single parents in the slums and it has been difficult for them to join secondary schools after doing their KCPE.
Chang’orok said most of the pupils are from Kipsongo, Shanti and Umoja slums.
This fact forced his school to introduce a food program in order to feed the pupils.
Mike Musungu is a reporter at Radio Simba in Bungoma and a correspondent of Trans Nzoia County for the Western Kenya Times.
