Two girls from Kilifi with contrasting backgounds defied the odds to excel in KCPE exams.
Amina Mwangiri, an orphan, scored 432 marks and Lucy Dafano scored 423 at Malindi Kingsway Academy. People didn’t believe Dafano could perform well because of her mixed parentage and wealthy background. (She is half Italian and half Chonyi).
The 17-year-old Mwangiri from Magarini said
she was fortunate to get a sponsor for her education.
The girls spoke on Wednesday during an event organised by the school to celebrate their sterling performance.
“I am grateful to my teachers and the school management,” Mwangiri said.
Dafano worked hard to confound critics.
“In Malindi people of my kind – half castes- are known to be enjoying life and cannot be top scorers,’’ she said.
Dafano said people used to discourage her. They told her she would not make it, but she didn’t listen to the negative things.
Mwangiri’s guardian Mama Good and Dafano’s mother Grace Laika were overjoyed.
o not work hard and normally enjoy their family wealth.
Dafano is a daughter of a prominent Malindi businesswoman Grace Laika who owns Breeze Point Hotel.
Her father is a wealthy Italian businessman.
Other half caste children are known to live posh lifestyle of partying in clubs and expensive resorts.
Dafano said people used to discourage her that she would not make it because her family was rich.
“One thing I know about Malindi is that people of my kind – half caste- are known to be enjoying life and cannot be top scorers,’’ she said.
On Wednesday, her mother could not hide her joy.
Teachers and parents carried the successful candidates shoulder high. They celebrated in school and went to the streets.
Mwangiri’s guardian Mama Good said she had over 30 pupils at Kingsway. She is glad one of them had topped in the subcounty.
“She has always been number one since ECD , I am happy she has made me proud,’’ she said.
The school’s deputy principal Newton Mwithya said they had 38 candidates and got a mean score of 335.9.