Popular Pastor Ezekiel Odero has donated at least Ksh 6.6 million to help 103 needy students from Kilifi County join high school.
Pastor Ezekiel of New Life Ministries based in the Mavuoni area in Kilifi County, also gave each student 15,000 shillings for shopping as they joined their form one in their respective schools.
He announced at his church on Sunday afternoon during a prayer session for the students before they departed for school; urging the students to work hard in their studies and use their knowledge to develop their country.
He said that the KES 6.6 million was one year’s school fees and promised to pay the full four-year school fees before April this year.
“This is KES 6,650,000 which is going to help our children’s education. You are the future of this country and when you complete school and get jobs please do not export your expertise to foreign countries but we should build our own country,” he said.
The students were joined by their parents and one of the head teachers whose public primary school emerged top of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in the county.
Constance Dama recorded impressive results in her school where 99 candidates sat for the examination. At least 17 candidates scored 400 marks and above while the least performer scored 308 marks.
“This girl is the girl that performed well in her village and it pained me when she was struggling to get sponsorship. It was a painful thing because parents were on my neck to help their children join high school yet I had knocked on all doors with no success,” she said.
She said that she was overwhelmed by joy when she heard that all her candidates had secured scholarships. She had been struggling to find sponsors for them as most of them came from poor backgrounds.
She thanked Pastor Odero for his generosity and kindness and prayed that God would bless him abundantly.
The Kilifi County Chief Officer for Education Frederick Nguma thanked the pastor on behalf of the County government saying that New Life Ministries had done what other churches had never done before in the area.
“You have done what other churches have never done in the history of our region, we thank you so much,” he said.
