“God is real. Keep going, do not lose hope, maintain the faith and always be grateful when anyone gives you a gift.”
Those were the words of a 15-year-old boy after two well-wishers paid his secondary school fees.
Antony Kinyua sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination at Kariba Road Primary School in Nakuru East subcounty and scored 301 marks, but his hopes of joining Afraha High School were almost dimmed due to his inability to raise Sh18,000 fees.
However, Lady Luck came smiling when he received a new uniform, stationery and textbooks from Divia Shah and Realz Hands of Love director Nancy Ndegwa.
“I had lost hope of joining Form 1 because my mother could not afford to pay my school fees,” Kinyua said.
The well-wishers visited him at Kwa Ronda settlement, where they delivered the items after paying his first-term fees in full.
The teenager was ready to go back to primary school to give his mother, Lucy Wangeci, time to get money for his secondary school education.
“I visited several offices and organisations seeking help to enable me to join secondary school to no avail. Today is my first day in school and I am very thrilled,” he said.
“I promise my benefactors that I will work hard to become a financial consultant. I also aspire to be a businessman after my studies.”
Wangeci, who depends on menial jobs for livelihoods, said the donation was one big step towards transforming her family.
“I am grateful someone has offered to help. I was worried my son would have to discontinue his studies because I could not afford his fees,” she said.
The single mother of two described her son as a well behaved and hardworking and wished him the very best.
Ndegwa urged leaders to assist bright and needy students, noting that there are more pupils from Nakuru county with dire financial needs and risk dropping out of school.
“Our constitution has seven objectives, one of which is to get involved in issues affecting our communities,” she said.
Divia said that education is the key to success and that is why they are making every effort to help students in financial distress. She urged leaders to assist bright and needy children from poor backgrounds.
