Twenty six students at St. Mary’s Nambale secondary school in Busia County have benefited from a donation of bicycles which they will be using to go to school. The students, boys and girls from poor families and who have been walking long distances to and from school were overjoyed after receiving the aid from GAP (Growth Against Poverty) Kenya, a Non-governmental organization helping in the fight against poverty in Kenya through helping needy school children and community groups, “We are so happy today because we have been suffering by walking a long distance to school and back. Our home is at Obekai and I used to wake up at four in the morning and walk for at least one and half hours to school and back in the evening arriving home late. But now that I have been given the bicycle, it will be easier for me to go to school and back,” stated one of the beneficiaries.
Their parents and teachers led by the school principal Mr. Joseph Odhiambo joined the students in thanking the NGO for the help, “Actually these students have been suffering walking long distances to school. Many of them have been reporting to school late and find their colleagues going on with morning lessons. The aid is handy in improving their performance and that of the school in general.” The bicycles’ handing over event was graced by Nambale sub county commissioner Caroline Onchoka, the sub county education Director Sarah Ayumba, her TSC counterpart Isaac Okaal, Nambale towship chief Maryline Oundo and GAP Kenya Director Hellen Mukanda.
The officials urged the students to use the bicycles well, “You have not been given the bicycles to use them to go to the market, you are supposed to use them to go to school. Apart from helping you arrive in school on time and with ease, they are also supposed to motivate you to work extra hard in class.” Onchoka and Ayumba noted improved performance of the school, challenging the beneficiaries to ensure they progress to university after their forth form, “The other year your school took three students to the university, last year it took seven students. Now that you have been boosted on how to go to school, ensure during your year all of you go to university. Most of the beneficiaries are in form one.
GAP Kenya Director Hellen Mukanda said the bicycles are supposed to last for atelast ten years and help many other students in the school, “The bicycles are school property. When a beneficiary finish form four, they are supposed to give to other needy students from far to use them. I also urge the beneficiaries to have a kind heart and help their friends who also come from far by carrying them on the bicycles become there were fifty applicants but we only had twenty six bicycles.”
She also called on the girl students to take care of themselves so as not to fall victims of early pregnancies that force them out of school, “We have been helping girls who have given birth to come back to school and continue with their studies. But we are not going to continue helping girls who go pregnant knowingly.”
