Lonely Bungoma orphan with thirst for education gets help

A 17-year-old girl who had dropped out of school after both her parents died has finally got help from a well-wisher and resumed her studies.

Rossebella Owino from Mungore village, Bumula, had dropped out of St Mary's Amukura. She had no one to pay her fees and provide other necessities. The girl has been staying alone since her parents died in 2017.

The only relative she knows is her aunt who stays in the neigbourhood.  The aunt is deaf and mentally ill, hence Rossebella could not depend on her.

She resorted to manual jobs to sustain herself. This, however, did not dash her hopes to resume learning if an opportunity came calling.

Rossebella approached several schools and explained her predicament so she could be admitted. No principal was ready to help. One answer reverberated — she had to pay fees.

When she was almost giving up, she made another attempt — this time at Namatotoa Secondary School in Bumula. Luck was finally on her side.

Principal Judith Wangwe told her to go back home and promised to visit her. When Wangwe toured the home, she was deeply moved by the girl's plight — life in abject poverty and desolation.

Wangwe later approached Nairobi-based businessman Zack  Barasa for help. 

“She had no relatives. She lived alone in an old ramshackle ... I decided to look for a sponsor for her,” she said. 

Barasa is also the patron of the Bungoma Liberation Lobby Group. He accepted to meet the girl needs until she completes her studies. Rosebella was grateful and overjoyed. “After a week, I've seen her [Wangwe] with a well-wisher,” she said.

Barasa immediately paid her school fees and bought personal belongings. Rosebella is now a Namatotoa Secondary School student.

Wangwe said similar cases are rampant in remote areas but schools operate under constrained budgets. She said needy children should be helped to pursue their academic dreams.

Barasa called for transparency in the NG-CDF and county bursary schemes so no needy student is left out.

“If such needy cases don’t qualify for those bursaries, which cases do?” he asked, giving food for thought for county and constituency leaders.

(Edited by F'Orieny)