Samburu girl defies odds to become medical doctor

By JOB WERU

While growing up, Christine Lekurtut, an alumnus of St Theresa’s Girls Secondary School-Wamba, had a dream of joining the nursing profession. However, little did she know that he ambition would lead to something even bigger.

After completing her high school education, she landed a job as an untrained teacher at Kipsing

Dr Christine Lekurtut is among first medical doctors from Samburu. [PHOTO: JOB WERU THUKU/STANDARD]

Primary School.

But she soon learnt from a relative that two men wanted to seek her hand in marriage.

"This was the last thing I expected since I was a grown up who could not just be married off. I first wanted to pursue my dreams before I could think of marriage," she said.

She later learnt that one of the would-be suitors was in the final stages of marriage, which entailed taking dowry to the bride’s family, ahead of whisking her to his home.

But before the plans of the arranged marriage were complete, lady luck smiled on her.

"I went to report the planned marriage to our local priest, and that is when he broke the news to me that I had been picked as a beneficiary of a scholarship I had applied for. I was to study medicine in Moscow-Russia," she said.

Lekurtut, 34, knew her dream of making a difference in her community, where healthcare is a mirage, was about to come true.

"There were no health facilities and I am not even sure whether I received a measles jab during my infancy," she said.

During her toddler and teenage years, expectant mothers at Ewaso, Kipsing, Ol Donyiro and neighbouring areas – where she was born and brought up – gave birth in manyattas (traditional Samburu and Maasai houses).

Her dream of having a maternity wing at Doldol District Hospital has since come to pass.

"It is painful to see women, some of whom I grew together and went to school with, continue to deliver babies in bushes and in unhygienic conditions in this day and age," she lamented.

Cultural beliefs

In the same locality, cultural beliefs bar women from assuming leadership roles, as locals believe that such positions should only be held by men.

"Fathers and other male relatives marry off daughters at tender ages, shuttering their dreams of attaining basic education, leave alone pursuing professional careers.

On January 2009, Lekurtut and a social worker, Ms Josephine Kulea, rescued eleven girls aged between six and ten from forced marriage.

The girls were later enrolled at St Francis Boarding Primary School in Meru, after a Czech philanthropist Mr Pergl Jiri paid their fees.

Lekurtut says as young girl, she did not have any hopes of even completing her primary education.

"So when I finished high school, I considered myself a grownup and the risk of being forcefully married off like my younger counterparts was less," she said.

Lekurtut was born at Ewaso area in Laikipia North District and attended Ewaso Nursery and primary schools before joining Catholic Church-ponsored Ol Donyiro Primary School in Isiolo, where she sat her KCPE in 1990.

She then enrolled at St Theresa’s Girls’ Secondary in Wamba in Samburu East District, and completed KCSE in 1994.

In 1996, she joined Moscow Medical School, courtesy of the sponsorship programme, where she studied medicine for seven years.

In 2003, she flew back to Kenya, and joined Kenyatta National Hospital as an intern doctor for one year, before being absorbed into the public service.

She was posted to Nanyuki District Hospital and later Nakuru Provincial General Hospital.

Lekurtut prides herself for being among the first medical doctors from the Samburu community.

"She says attaining the qualifications has helped change the community’s perception that women are only suited for domestic chores.

"I want to emancipate women and this is only achievable if girls are taken to school. My goal is to help end early marriages and female genital mutilation," she vows.

Medical Officer

The mother of three-year-old Master Ethan Ledama is currently the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) in charge of Laikipia North District. She is also the Medical Superintendent at Doldol District Hospital.

Lekurtut says one of the biggest challenges she faces is that the health facilities she supervises are far apart, not to mention the treacherous terrain she has to navigate.