KAPSABET, KENYA: He scored an impressive 398 marks in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). He was admitted to Lenana School in Nairobi. But Collins Kiprono Bor, 13, was, perhaps, the saddest boy in the entire Nandi County.
Collins Kiprono Bor with Nandi County Governor Cleophas Lagat at Koisegem Primary School. PHOTO: Rael Jelimo/STANDARD
Why? Because he knew with certainty that there was no way his family could raise fees to enable him study at the national school.
This was his second shot at KCPE. After the first attempt, he repeated Class Eight not because he had failed, but because his family could afford to pay his school fees. He repeated in the hope that in a year’s time, his family’s economic fortunes would have improved, albeit to enable him study at a local day school.
But despite spending another year in Class Eight, and performing even better, his family’s economic fortunes did not change, and if anything things got worse.
Since he was admitted to Lenana School, Kiprono spent his time agonising and mulling over his fate.
“I was left with two options, either to repeat Class Eight for the third time, or forget about school. My extremely poor family could not afford my school fees, not even if I went to a day secondary school,” said Kiprono.
However, in a moment of desperation, he decided do to the unthinkable; appeal for help from the highest office in the county.
The first task of the former pupil from Koisegem Primary School in Tinderet, Nandi County, was to look for the governor’s telephone number. This was not so difficult. He went round looking for any remnants of the governor’s 2013 election campaign posters and soon found one. The governor’s mobile phone contact was on the poster.
Then he took his mother’s mobile phone without her knowledge — as he was not sure she would approve the move — and wrote a text message to Governor Cleophas Lagat.
“My name is Collins Kiprono from Koisegem Primary School…,” he wrote. “I had 398 marks and stands to miss a second chance at secondary education… Only you can save me,” he told Dr Lagat.
Kiprono waited for two days—no response from the governor.
But just as he was beginning to despair, something happened that left tears of joy welling in his eyes.
His mother received a call that changed his life instantly. It was a call from the governor.
STILL CELEBRATING
“Aliniuliza ‘uko wapi?’ halafu akanieleza kuwa amepata ujumbe. Sikujua yeye ni nani wala jambo ambalo alikuwa akizungumzia. Baadaye alinieleza yeye ni Governor Lagat na akaomba kuongea na kijana (he wanted to know where I was and told me that he got my message. I did not understand who he was or what he was talking about. Afterwards he told me he was Governor Lagat and asked to speak with the boy),” says Kiprono’s mother, Priscillah Bor, who said she was shocked when she realised she was talking to the governor.
Then the governor broke the good news that has the family still celebrating. The courageous boy had been awarded a full, four-year secondary school scholarship, courtesy of the governor.
“I read the message two days after it was delivered to me,” explained the governor later.
“I normally receive all kinds of texts and calls. This particular one hit me to the core of my soul. I pictured a very sad and lost boy and immediately wanted to reach out to him. It was about 6pm, I made a call to the strange number,” recalled Lagat.
Koisegem Primary School head teacher Joseph Talam described Kiprono as a bright, humble, disciplined organiser and the school’s chairperson of Class Eight’s discussion group. He was also the class monitor.
“I am glad that he has found support. He comes from a humble background and we even sponsored him to register for the examination and also lunch programmes in school.. Kiprono and his siblings’ welfare has always been handled by his grandfather and his mother,” he revealed.
Kiprono, the second born in a family of five, expressed his gratitude to the governor. “Niliamini tu ile namba ya simu ya campaign ya governor ingefanya kazi. Namshukuru governor. (I had trust that the telephone number he used in campaigns would still be operational. I thank the governor for helping me,” said Kiprono.
“I always receive messages from parents, guardians, school heads, politicians and some humanitarian organisations making pleas of all kinds. I have never received a phone call or a text from a child from Nandi County. Kiprono’s was the first,” revealed Lagat.
By RAEL JELIMO, The Standard
