Twins beat the odds to score impressive ‘B’

Patience and her twin sister Merciline at Emalindi Girls School in Khwisero. [Courtesy]

Two students who went through numerous challenges during their studies beat the odds to score an impressive B in the concluded KCSE examination.

The 20-year-old identical twins, Patience Odero and her sister Merciline Odero, were students at Emalindi Girls High School in Kakamega County.

Speaking to The Standard after Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha announced the KCSE results on Monday, the girls said they endured hunger on several occasions because their mother could not afford food.

 But when the examination results were released, the girls were ranked among candidates who scored highly, with each registering a grade B (plain) of 61.

They were among 18 other candidates out of 80 who obtained direct university entry points at the school.

“It is hard to believe that we managed to overcome all those challenges and went ahead to obtain impressive grades,” said Patience.

The two previously attended Kilingili Primary School, where they scored 357 and 364 marks respectively before joining Emalindi Girls four years ago.

Their mother, Tafrosa Makhulia, said she was proud of her daughters.

“We did everything we could to fend for them even though they could go without food and lack some basic items,” she said. She described the girls as well behaved, highly disciplined and hardworking. 

Annette Bakari, the school principal said the school has 300 bright but needy students who are beneficiaries of the Khwisero CDF bursary fund programme.