Noel Chepkorir a bright needy girl from Cherang’any subcounty, Trans Nzoia could miss her slot in secondary education due to poverty.
Noel scored 336 marks in last year’s KCPE examination but she is yet to report to St Marks Girls Secondary School, where she was placed.
Noel’s father, who used to work as a casual labourer at the Kenya Forest Services developed depression after years of alcohol addiction and disappeared from home five years ago.
The 14-year-old girl, who sat her examination at Kapchemakwer Primary School is the last born in a family of six.
"I didn’t know poverty is bad like this. My two brothers who could have catered for my education deferred their studies at university due to lack of fees,’’she said.
Her two sisters who posted sterling results in the KCSE are now bar maids after their results were held due to fees balances.
Noel’s dream is to become a doctor. Her mother Margaret Cheptomor has been fending for her and her five siblings since their father disappeared.
According to teachers at her former school, she sat the exam while depressed.
“My mother has been living with a broken heart due to poverty, she almost died. Help me go to school to rescue my family from the shackles of poverty," she said.
Cheptemor said sometimes they go to bed on empty stomachs and depends donations from well-wishers.
“Poverty is something I wouldn’t want any family to go through,’’ she said.
Her former class teacher, Samuel Miregwa said Noel's family never had enough to eat. The school often donated food to the family.
“The girl completed her primary school through teachers' help,” Miregwa said.
School headteacher Tobias Rawangi said that Noel was the most disciplined student.
" She is a very focused, committed and disciplined girl who can do great things if assisted," he said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
