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I am Larine Ruth Awino. Class eight was the hardest part of my life. My father lost his job. He lived far from home. I had a blind grandmother who we have to take food to her everyday. My mother was trying to pay my siblings school fee despite of many challenges she faced.

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She paid the fees using trees (firewood). It was very difficult to pay money that was needed in school like exam fee. I did several exams without payment. I had torn shoes, no socks. Many thought that I came from a cool-kid background because of the way I behaved. When I came from school at lunch time, I find nothing to eat. I find my mother at the shamba (farm). I perform the house chores and drink boiled water and I go back to school. I concentrated in class because I knew what I wanted. When Prayer Day (a day when schools hold prayers for pupils before final exams) arrived, my mother was not able to attend because she went to the shamba. The headteacher talked to the parents and told them to cook something better for their kids and leave their kids to read and not to perform the house chores. But for me at times we slept without food, if we got food, it was immature beans. At night, we sometimes had no light because we have M-kopa solar and it is paid. 

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When the day of K.C.P.E. (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education -exam done at the end of primary school) reached, many pupils were given money for breakfast and I was the only one who didn’t have. But I thank God for the healthy life he granted me. After K.C.P.E, I waited with baited breath. I was very sure I was going to get 370 marks (maximum achievable is 500) but all went in smoke. When the results were released I got 346 marks but I did not give up because I knew that there was a chance for me in secondary school. I started filling the forms (scholarship). I started with Equity. By bad luck, it failed. I filled K.C.B. (Kenya Commercial Bank Foundation) and it failed. One morning, we went for the interview of the County (Kisumu County Bursaries). We walked upto “Bar” (6km walk). We had slept without food and we had no money. We were never given feedback. 

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One night, my father introduced Dr. Nyagoy (TWIGA) to me. And the next day we went for an interview. My mother had lost hope for a scholarship but my father had a lot of hope in getting the scholarship. Finally, one evening when my mother entered the WhatsApp, she found the receipt where fees had already been paid. She was very happy and she showed me the message. I was happy but not very happy because still there was no money for shopping and uniform. My father requested Dr. Nyagoy to help him with the uniform and she accepted. I really appreciate because you gave me hope to fulfil my dream of going to boarding school. 

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Then shopping became the biggest problem. My mother sold all the maize and beans that were in the house and shopped. When I was about to go to school, fare became another problem. We were supposed to leave on Sunday. Saturday night my father came and said there was no fare for us. I prayed to God to provide. 

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On Sunday very early in the morning my father went away. When it was 9.00a.m. he came back and told me to prepare myself for the journey. I was over the moon. While we were travelling with my mother, we had nothing to eat up to Migori (town where the school is - over 200km away). We paid for a room and slept there. We had maize to eat then we slept. Next day we went to school and I was admitted. 

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There was no fare for my mother to go back home. She was helped by a good Samaritan. I really appreciate what you (TWIGA) did to me. I had no pocket money, little shopping but I asked God to help me persevere. I am grateful and I promise I will work hard to achieve my goals. Thank you.

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- Larine Awino

  May 2023

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At the end of her first term in year 1 of secondary school, that ended in April 2023, Larine got a grade of B+. Larine aspires to be an agricultural engineer in future to ensure food security - that no child goes hungry as she did.

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