Judy Nduta was thrilled with her result of 324 in the KCPE exam for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 2021 and planned to continue her education.
Nduta, who is from the hamlet of Njathaini in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, desired to enroll in a boarding school to enhance her education with the ultimate goal of reducing poverty in her family.
After a year and a half, Nduta, who is now despondent, has yet to enroll in secondary school because of financial difficulties.
The young woman, who comes from a low-income family, has been working as a maid in Thika town after doing menial tasks back in the village for several months to make ends meet.
“I opted to remain home and help mum with menial jobs whenever such are available but there was a time when I felt too much pain going to sleep hungry with my mother.
I left for Thika where I have been working as a house help. My thirst for education is still there but in this state, my hope continues to diminish,” Nduta said.
Her family which lives in a borrowed single-roomed nearly empty house has been struggling to afford daily bread and in most cases, they are forced to sleep hungry.
According to her mother Jane Wanjiru, while she wished to help her further her education, life has been extremely tough for her and raising her school fees and other necessities has been a daunting task.
Wanjiru who plucks tea and or works at the local farms said life took another turn when she separated from her husband whom she had hoped would help her educate their children.
After they were ejected, the mother of four began to do the available jobs to sustain her family with the very basic needs of food and shelter.
Having failed to educate Nduta whom she described as visionary and saviour of her family owing to her brightness, Wanjiru appealed to well-wishers who would be touched by her family’s predicament to help her daughter in any way so that she could continue with her studies.
“It is my humble appeal to well-wishers to help my daughter go back to school to study like the rest of the children. I am very optimistic that Nduta will not only turn around my family’s situation but could also be helpful in society, once educated,” Wanjiru stated.
On her part, Nduta promised to work extra hard should she be given the opportunity to deliver her family out of poverty.
