Girl walks 40km to seek sponsorship for school
Grace Akinyi, who walked for about 40km from Nambale in Busia County to Butere Girls High School in Kakamega on January 10, 2018 to seek sponsorship for her education. PHOTO | SHABAN MAKOKHA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Grace Akinyi applied for scholarship from Equity's Wings to Fly programme and the KCB Foundation but she was unsuccessful.
- Her mother cannot afford her school fees.
A girl in Busia County trekked 40 kilometres in search of sponsorship for her education.
While hundreds of students were escorted by their parents and guardians to join secondary schools, Grace Akinyi walked on Wednesday from Nambale in Busia County to Butere Girls High School in Kakamega seek sponsorship and admission at the school.
POOR
Akinyi scored 392 out of 500 marks in last year's KCPE exam from Nasira AC Primary School in Nambale Sub-County.
Her father Duncan Owino died in 2003 when she was six months old. Her mother is jobless and unable to pay her school fees.
Akinyi, like thousands others, applied for scholarships from Equity's Wings to Fly programme and the KCB Foundation but she was unsuccessful.
"l am worried that I may not achieve my ambitions to become a lawyer if I fail get sponsorship for my education," Akinyi told the Nation at Butere Girls High School in Kakamega County.
LONG WALK
She said she woke up at 3am, took her results slip and a letter she received calling her to join Butere Girls, and set off on foot.
When the Nation caught up with her at the school, she looked exhausted.
She was wearing a dark-blue dress with a white collar – her primary school uniform – and holding the envelope containing her results slip and the calling letter.
"I have never walked for such a distance in my life. I am really tired," she said with tears rolling down her cheeks, her feet in red slippers covered with dust.
The last born girl in a family of six said she went to the school to request the management to help her get well-wishers to sponsor her education.
HOPE
Deputy Principal James Wetindi said the school had accepted to admit the girl.
"We shared her plight with the school principal Ms Janet Omondi and she agreed to have the girl in school as we scout for well-wishers to stand in for her school fees," said Mr Wetindi.
He said the school management would give the girl school uniform, beddings, mattress, box and some essential books.
"We shall also stand in for her shopping. The problem remains with payment of her school fees," said Mr Wetindi.
He said the girl would be given a day off to go back home and inform her mother that she would be admitted at the school.
When the Nation visited the school on Friday, Akinyi was settling in with the other new Form One students.
