14 year old boy walks 104.4KM from Siaya to Kakamega to raise form one fees

Kakamega primary school former student Joshua Otieno who scored 386 marks in KCPE last year.  [Photo: BENJAMIN SAKWA/Standard]

Joshua Otieno has walked 104.4 kilometers from Siaya to Kakamega in search of school fees for his admission at St Anthony High School in Kitale.

The 14-year-old spent six days while walking and sleeping in corridors in his bid to search for fees.

Otieno who did his KCPE last year at Kakamega Primary School got 386 marks to secure a form one admission at St Anthony High School.

He said his parents who stay in Siaya divorced while he was in class six and cannot cater for his secondary school fees.

"I was left to stay with my father in Siaya while my mother returned to his relatives in Kakamega. I go through a lot of hardship in the hands of my father and he has denied to cater for my secondary school studies," said Otieno.

"I decided to walk to look for my mother. Her condition is even worse as she cannot even cater for my upkeep as she is drunk most of the time," he said.

He said during holidays he has been selling sand from the nearby river to cater for his upkeep and also try to save for his fees but he has not managed the over Sh50,000 needed for him to join secondary.

"I am ready to join any secondary school provided I get financial support. I will work hard to get good grades that will enable me study medicine at the university," he said.

His former teacher Stellah Mwangi confirmed the ordeal of the boy saying his mother used to attend school meetings while drunk.

"I called his father over the matter but he told me it is up to the mother to raise fees for the boy. His mother spends most of her time drinking she has no time for the boy," said Ms. Mwangi.

"The boy used to stay with his stepmother who mistreated him. His parents have denied to take care of the boy and his future might be doomed if he does not get somebody to support him."