Bright boy who had opted to become a herdboy joins Lenana School
Rhodelix Minoo in full school uniform with his mother Ms Gladys Minoo at Lenana school.
Jubilation engulfed Ilbisil town in Kajiado Central on Thursday morning as neighbours bade farewell to a bright but needy boy who was joining Form One after a Good Samaritan offered to sponsor his education.
The 15-year-old boy, who scored an impressive 398 marks in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams, had decided to become a herdboy because he lacked fees.
sat the exams at Mbiini Primary School and earned a slot at Lenana School. He was to report on May 3 but did not do so because his poor family could not afford the school fees.
The second-born boy in a family of four who lives with his mother in a single semi-permanent room in the dusty town of Ilbisil had decided to take care of other people’s animals to raise school fees.
Nation.Africa wrote about his plight on Monday, drawing the attention of well-wishers, who came forward in droves competing to sponsor the boy's secondary school education.
On Thursday morning, the boy, accompanied by his mother and their pastor, was escorted by jubilant neighbours to the bus terminus as he made his way to school.
Mr William Kimei, the principal of Lenana school, Rhodelix Minoo, the boy's mother Ms Gladys Minoo and the family pastor Peter Njenga at Lenana school on Thursday afternoon.
He did not have a uniform or books and other necessities but a well-wisher was waiting for him in Nairobi with fees to cover one year and other needs. The sponsor will pay his secondary school fees annually.
"This is our son as the community. We are overjoyed to see him join Form One," said Pastor Njenga after praying before the boy's departure to Nairobi.
The sponsor is Mr Sheikh Abdullahi, CEO of Westminster Consulting Limited.
Buy school uniforms, books
The boy aspires to become a neurosurgeon. The sponsor will pay fees and buy school uniforms, books and other necessities.
Rhodelix Minoo sat the exams at Mbiini Primary School and earned a slot at Lenana School. His mother, Ms Gladys Minoo, who does menial jobs in the town, said she is unable to raise school fees for her son.
"The boy has a bright future. Let him work hard to transform his family in the future. It's good to share the little we have to make the world a better place for all of us,” said the sponsor’s representative, Ms Susan Macharia.
When the Nation spoke with the boy by phone immediately after he put on a new school uniform in Nairobi around noon, his quavering voice indicated his joy.
"I will never forget the well-wisher and the Nation. I will work extremely hard. I will not let you down," he said.
The boy's mother Gladys Minoo said her phone had been buzzing continuously since the Nation highlighted her son's story on Monday.
She said the sponsorship for her son has restored her family's hope that had waned after her firstborn dropped out of school in Form Three in 2020 and became pregnant while still a minor.
"My phone has never rung continuously as it has done for the last four days from well-wishers. I don't know how I can repay my son's sponsor or the Nation Media Group. God bless you," said Ms Minoo.
She also appreciated others who were willing to chip in but lost the chance after the Good Samaritan paid the full fees.
Lenana School board chairman Jonah Maraphash said the school decided to secure the boy's slot after learning about his plight on Nation.Africa.
"We were touched by the boy's plight and immediately secured his slot in our school. We are hopeful the school will become the boy's springboard to a bright future," he added.
