For 31-year-old Perez Achieng, hers has literally been a journey to hell and back having been forcefully married at 16 years old to a man little known to her and the myriad challenges that followed thereafter.
After five years in marriage, her husband died from health complications and she resisted an attempt by the in-laws to be inherited and opted to return back to class.
Despite being diagnosed with TB, she cleared her Form four last year just the same year that her son Master Samuel Otieno sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education.
Otieno emerged among the best students in Naivasha district with an impressive 401 marks but unfortunately, he is stuck at ‘home’ with an ailing mother and cannot afford the money required to go to high school.
Theirs is a story of pain, lost hope, prayers but confident that despite all the tribulations, things will one day work for the bright son and the determined mother.
Her problems run back to 1996 when she was married in Kisumu at a tender age of 16 years and could not understand what marriage meant.
After five years, the husband died and she was kicked into the streets by the in laws but a well wisher took her in and she went back to school as a private candidate and managed to get 369 marks in KCPE.
She joined Moi Forces Academy in Lanet while another well-wisher from Naivasha took in her son who was in class four and sponsored his primary education.
Meanwhile, more problems for Achien’g were to come in 2008 after she was diagnosed with TB and she was bed-ridden hence dropped out of school.
Last year, her dreams came to reality as she sat for her KCSE just the same year that the son sat for his KCPE.
The mother and the son have been living in Gilgil in a house donated by a well-wisher and despite getting an admission letter from Moi Forces Academy in Nairobi, young Otieno is stuck at home.
They had applied for a scholarship through the Equity bank foundation and their hopes were high but they did not succeed to secure one.
Magdeline Njoroge who took in Otieno while in class four says that the boy has unique talent which should not be wasted.
Njoroge who is the proprietor of Sharon Rose Academy in Naivasha terms the boy as very bright with an equally bright future.
She says that around Ksh 37,000 is needed as first term fees for Otieno to join Moi Forces academy.
Young Otieno believes that his dreams to be a doctor will be achieved adding that he is sure that God has a plan for him.
Speaking in fluent English, the 14 year old boy understands the predicaments that the mother has faced and is calling on Kenyans to come to his aid. Achien’g can be reached on +254706-604861.
