Zipporah Mumo

My name is Zipporah Kavuu Mumo.I did my KCSE in 2019 from St. Al’s and in my class I was the eldest student/candidate as I completed my form 4 at the age of 26. I had done my KCPE (primary school final exam) in 2010 with my younger brother, but we couldn’t join high school because there we could not pay the school fees. The same year my parents separated and I’m the first born in that family of six –three brothers and two sisters. Life was not easy for me and so my brother and I decided that we had to go to school despite all the challenges we were going through. The family agreed that I look for a job to enable my brother to school first so that later I can also join high school.

I went to Nairobi City to look for any job but because I was under age the only job I got was being offered was that of a house help. I remember the first salary I got was Kshs.2500 ($25) per month and I went back home to talk to the principal of one of the schools at home so that he could allow my brother to join the school as I was going to pay his fees little by little. I paid for not only my brother’s fee but also for the rest of my siblings. My mum was able to settle and also enrolled my brothers and sisters in a new school and after two years I quit that job and looked for a new one that could satisfy even my own needs in a comfortable way but I still got one as a house help but with a better pay of Kshs.8000 ($80) monthly. This enabled me to save a little as I wanted to join high school and one day, be in class. Whenever I was preparing my boss’ kids to school, I would reflect on my own education that never became a reality. I would silently pray to God to help open ways for me.

Two years later, my brother finished high school and he couldn’t get a job immediately. Luckily, he performed well and therefore he joined campus to continue with his studies. I was at the verge of giving up and I wanted to quit the job again. My boss noticed this asked if she could help me in any way. I guess she did this because I had been very good to them as a family. That’s when I expressed my wish to join high school. Perhaps my case was well understood since both are medical doctors who appreciate the importance of education. I was tasked to look for a suitable school nearby even though I preferred a school at my rural home.

In order for me to join school, I was required to have a birth certificate which was hard to get at the age of 22 yet I was expected to avail it within three days to report to school. After lots of hustles, I eventually acquired the vital document and the following Monday morning I cheerfully came to St. Al’s and presented it before I could be allowed to undertaken written exams. Having stayed out of school for 6 years, from 2010-2016, without reading or writing this was certainly going to be another hurdle for me. I sat for the exam and out of 400 marks I scored terrible marks of 68. I almost gave up as pass mark for one to qualify was 200 marks but I strongly believed that St. Al’s was my destiny. I went home and cried a lot and I was encouraged by my boss who promised to get me another school to satisfy my thirst for education. I couldn’t hear any of that since I only wanted to study at St. Al’s. I took the most audacious move of personally going back to St. Al’s to speak to the teachers and try to secure a chance in the school. I ended up in the office of deputy principal and I explained to him why I needed the chance. As expected, it wasn’t to be an easy task since I already failed exams. He referred me to the teacher in charge of recruitment and eventually I ended meeting three teachers with whom I shared not only my story but my dreams as well. They were touched and they decided to give me a chance. That was one of the happiest moments in my life. At last, I joined form one and I was very happy to be in class with other students.

In third term, things changed took a dramatic twist when my boss went to South Africa for further studies. I couldn’t stay in my boss’ house and I had to move out. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anywhere to go. I shared my predicament with the school. Later on, I joined social needs program which caters for students’ accommodation and general welfare.  Thank God, because the school ensured that I had a place to stay, food to eat, clothes to put on, and above all, somewhere to go to learn.  All the struggle was worth appreciating as I proudly express my life story.

I finished my fourth year in high school in 2019 at St. Al’s and I scored a mean grade of C plain.  I am now doing my community service as a way of giving back to the community.  Afterward I plan to study nursing when I join campus. I am really happy to have been in St. Al’s and very thankful to all the teachers who encouraged me and who gave me a second chance in my life. My experience summarizes what St. Aloysius stands for – long live St. Al’s!