Girls from Poverty stricken families in Kilifi have excelled in the just released Kenya Certificate of Primary education (KCPE) despite living in a county leading with cases of teenage pregnancies.
The county made headlines two weeks ago after reports emerged of 13,000 in primary and secondary school who were pregnant.
However when the results were announced on Monday by Education CS Amina Mohamed the narrative changed.
Among the top performers were two young girls hailing from humble backgrounds in Kilifi North Sub County who beat the challenge of early sex to emerge among the top in the just released Kenya Certificate of primary education.
Mercy Nzingo Thoya 16 scored 439 marks while her long time competitor in the same school Bambakofi academy Rachael Rehema Masha 15 scored 434 marks a slight difference of five marks.
Both girls have already become role models not only in Gede but the entire Kilifi County with the leading girl believed to be number 17 countrywide.
At least they together the other girls in the county who performed well will encourage other girls that they can make it.
Coincidentally both of them scored 99 marks in Kiswahili and could be the best students countrywide in the subject and studied through sponsorship from the school which sponsors bright needy students from standard one to form four..
One of the girls admitted she never focus on the poverty of her family but took courage to work hard.
It was even difficult for her family to welcome us at their rental house and the mother had to change clothes at least to look presentable.
The other girl could not hide her poverty and the home could tell it all temporary structures that are surrounded by posh houses in the neighborhood.
Nzingo is a fourth born in family of eight and was brought up by a single mother after the father abandoned them eight years ago.
She could not hide her excitement when she saw the unexpected guests with cameras looking for the heroine.
“I was at home helping my mother doing household chores Me and my mum did not know the results quickly because we were not aware of the process of confirming through SMS,’’ she said during the interview.
Nzingo said it was through the help of a friend who is studying at Kakamega university who helped her to check the results and broke the news,’’ she said.
To her the results were expected as she had committed herself to hard work throughout the years in school and wanted to excel also so as to help transform the lives of the family members.
At her home she is the first one to score such marks as the only highest marks were 313.
“I have been fasting since the exam ended just hoping that my prayers will be answered, I am very happy for the achievement,’’ she said.
Nzingo revealed that he intends to go to Alliance girl’s high school or Kenya high school and in future become a surgeon.
She said her mother used to advise her to avoid engaging in early sex as it would ruin her life adding that at school they received a lot of support in form of counseling and encouragement.
The mother Mary Safari Mweni said it has been tough brining up her eight children alone but had high hopes that the fourth born would make it in the exams due to her exemplary commitment to studies.
She said Nzingo is currently the only hope for the family.
On the other hand Rehema who also hails from Gede trading center a first born in the family of three celebrated with her parents and friends upon learning about the results.
She revealed that her father called her while in the bathroom to break the news of a victory and had to rush to listen to the results.
Rehema said dedication and hard work was the only secret of her success and thanked her family and school authorities for constant counseling.
Her school of choice is Alliance girls and wants to become a lawyer after completing high school.
“I would like to urge my fellow girls out there to focus on building their future and stop concentrating on the backgrounds as it’s the only way they7 will work hard to fulfill their dreams,’’ she said.
The father Johnson Masha said the girl was bright and as family expected her to excel in her examinations.
At the school this year’s candidates were 25 among them only one boy while the rest were girls and are normally selected for sponsorship from disadvantaged families around Gede.
Such results show glimpse of hope for girls who are famous for teenage pregnancy as it is clear proof that they are able to excel.
Recently reports showed that there were 13,000 students who were pregnant in Kilifi county with 200 among them those who did their KCPE.