Kisumu boy who scored A in KCSE now working in a posho mill with no pay

Saul Henry Obwanda, a former student of Nairobi School at his place of work in Kisumu. The boy got A plain but because of lack of school fees has not been able to join Kenyatta University for the fourth consecutive year now and works at his aunt’s posho mill. [PHOTO: DENISH OCHIENG/ STANDARD]

KENYA: When Saul Obwanda received his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results in February 2013, he was an elated boy seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

He had scored A plain of 82 points from the Nairobi School, and having been orphaned about a decade earlier, he had known that only education would open his way to success.

As his aunt Hellen Jaenda told him to focus on his education, the first born in a family of four obliged and resorted to humility as the only value which would enable him get the best out of the guardian.

The 24 year old is however at the brink of losing hope in life after failing to secure admission to study Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Kenyatta University due to lack of fees.

Obwanda now works in his aunt's posh mill where he is not entitled to any pay, but compensates by being accommodated and fed by the aunt.

"I sometime find myself in tears without knowing the cause, but I am still hopeful that God will intervene in my situation one day and make me the great man I have been dreaming of," said Obwanda.

Every morning he wakes up and report to the old posho mill situated at Railway Estate within Jua kali area.

Obwaka completed his primary education at his rural school of Ebuhando in Lwanda, Vihiga County where he scored 401 marks.

He had been living with his ailing grandmother together with his three sisters.

Saul Henry Obwanda, a former student of Nairobi School shows his certificates during an interview with The Standard. [PHOTO: DENISH OCHIENG/ STANDARD]

His head teacher Benard Kweya understood his financial situation, and upon the release of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results, he resorted to seeking intervention to help fund the boy's secondary education.

He got admission at the Nairobi School, and with the help of the now former head teacher and the local well-wishers, they managed to raise Sh18, 000 which was used to purchase uniforms, books and other personal effects he would require while in school.

"The head teacher used to ask about me and how I was working on joining Form One, and one day he called me to school where he showed me an advertisement by Jomo Kenyatta Foundation calling on applications for sponsorships. He helped me apply and by good luck I succeeded," said Obwanda.

He joined the school and never disappointed. He scored an A plain of 82 points, with grade A in all the subjects except English which he managed a B+ (plus).

He was admitted at Kenyatta University to undertake a bachelor degree course in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, which was to commence in September 2013.

"When I tried to get back to my sponsors, they only congratulated me but said the sponsorship could not go past secondary school, so I resorted to looking into other avenues for getting school fees," he said.

The university reporting date moved closer and faster, and Obwanda had not raised enough fees to pay for the minimum registration fee required, nor get his certificate and result slip from Nairobi School, which had been detained due to incomplete clearance.

"When I reported to campus, they could not admit me because I had no certificates to substantiate that I was the real student. I had to defer the studies by one year as advised by friends. When I went back to the village, I explained to whoever cared and some promised to help me once the next reporting day come," he added.

Through some casual jobs, he raised money and bought books which he had to clear with at school. He however had no enough money to meet the minimum registration fee required at the university.

Things however turned nasty when nobody was available to be reached.

"I had to defer again in 2014. I was to report in 2015," he said.

He moved to Kisumu to stay with an aunt where he started working in the posho mill in order to raise money. According to the aunt, the posho mill has small return and cannot produce enough to take the boy to school.

"It is from this posho ill that we get our daily bread, pay rent and pay other bills including fees for my children," said Aunt Jaenda.

This means Obwanda has no income, but has to work on the posho mill in order to get accommodated and fed by the aunt.

In 2015 he got a Sh20, 000 cheque from Vihiga County Government towards his education, and when he reported for registration, he was informed that it was not enough for the minimum admission fee.

He sought to defer again, but was denied and informed that defers are accepted twice and not thrice, meaning the chance could be gone.

He has since returned to Kisumu where he operates the posho mill, but with little hopes on whether he will be able to get another chance to pursue his dreams of becoming an engineer.

He is left to peruse his well laminated certificates and documents every time he is reminded of the almost lost opportunity, as he pictures what the future holds for him.