By Betty Luke
When Rukia Said Ali sat her 2021 KCPE exams this year at Farouk Integrated Academy, she was optimistic that she would perform well and she surely did.
But unaware to her, her good performance (356 marks) would present a headache to her mother who could not raise fees to take her to Moi Girls in Vihiga where she got an admission to.
As time for Form Ones to join secondary drew closer, her hope of proceeding with education kept dimming.
“The whole issue weighed me down and I almost gave up on ever joining Secondary,” she said.
A four-year scholarship by Bulapesa MCA aspirant Lydia Muthoni Ngichili gave her a lifeline.
“I will maximize the opportunity and do my best to achieve my dream of becoming an engineer,” she said after receiving an admission letter from Mrs Ngichili.
A total of 15 bright but needy learners who scored between 350 marks and 401 marks benefited from this year’s scholarship.
Linn Pendo’s story was no different.
Her expected admission to Ngaita Girls High school remained a dream until last week when she was listed among the beneficiaries of the business woman’s aid.
“This (scholarship) has eased the burden on my parent who currently has no job. I am so happy,” she said.
Alex Marubu who scored 350 marks had unsuccessfully applied Equity Bank’s Wings to Fly scholarship and that of Safaricom Foundation.
“We are three in our family and all of us are in school. I am happy that I have gotten placement at the school and I will do my best,” Mr Marubu who had received an admission letter from Moi Gesusu school in Kisii said.
Other beneficiaries were Tracy Mwende, Emmanuel Lochangai, Stephanie Wanja, Adan Ali Ibrahim and Christopher Wachira among others.
Several stakeholders attended an event to issue admission letters to the beneficiaries who will join Kiangua Mixed Secondary School starting May 5 this year.
Ms Linet Kathambi is among those who attended the ceremony to witness.
“I have been seeing the leader’s work on media and I decided to come and witness with my own eyes. I am surprised she is doing such noble work. If she has picked all these students, she can do much more if elected Bulapesa MCA,” she said.
“I thought I would see many Turkanas or Kikuyus but I am surprised to see a representation from four communities today”.
Ms Safia Abduba, a parent, hailed the program for assisting needy learners and rallied residents to support Mrs Ngichili’s bid.
“I am confident if we vote her in, she will assist more needy pupils. The program is a game changer as the learners could have gone into the streets and engaged in criminal activities and drug indulgence,” she said.
For having touched the community, the parent said women should rally behind the MCA’s bid and campaign for her.
Mrs Ngichili said the nearly three-year-old program aimed at reducing the burden for parents who are unable to take their children to Secondary school due to financial constraints.
“As you are aware, a lot of our people have lost their jobs and continue to reel from the hard economic times, making it hard for them to meet several needs including education for their children,” she said.
The recent batch brings to about 50 the total number of beneficiaries of the program.
Besides giving the learners a chance to achieve their dreams, the program aids in reducing illiteracy levels and contributes to achievement of government’s 100 percent transition.
Mrs Ngichili said it is by supporting education that the number of dropouts and drug addicts will reduce.
“We have very bright minds out there who dropped out of school due to lack of fees and we need to take them back to enable them achieve their dreams,” she noted.
Four students under the program sat 2021 KCSE exams with three of them getting C+ and the other C-.
Some of the students who previously benefited from the program scored below 200 marks.
Under the program, three learners who had dropped out due to fee arrears were taken back and are currently in Form Three.
Mrs Ngichili, famously known as Mama Masomo, says education is the best equaliser and that having an enlightened society would end insecurity issues.
She rubbished those opposed to the project saying sober citizens could see the impact it had brought to the community.
“I am so happy that some of you gathered here have said you came to witness the program…The dreams of these pupils could have been ruined if they did not get the scholarship,” she told the congregation.
She promised to expand the program to benefit more learners if elected as Bulapesa MCA in August elections.
“I have been doing all these using my little resources and that is why we haven’t been able to cover many students but I assure you if you elect me your MCA, I will support more,” the leader assured.
She appealed to electorates to elect development oriented leaders and not to be deceived by “masters of handouts”.
“What will Sh1000 or a branded calendar do for you?” she posed, adding that her calendar was education.
Mrs Ngichili asked the beneficiaries to take education seriously and use the opportunity to achieve their dreams.
“When they break for holiday, they must bring original result slips to enable me track their performance and assist them do better,” she told the parents.
Kikuyu youth leaders at the event drummed up support for Mrs Ngichili.
“As youths, we have decided to support her because she has community interest at heart and is not biased. I appeal to Bulapesa residents to give her a try due to her outstanding leadership,” Mr Boniface Gichohi said, maintaining that the aspirant was the community’s flag bearer for the seat.
