Sight of ‘blind’ boy was restored three days to start of KCPE

Kakamega Little Lilies Academy Director Geit Amahwa (right) congratulates Job Ombima, who scored 329 marks in KCPE examinations. Ombima regained his sight three days to the examinations. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

When Job Ombima scored 329 marks in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, it was another miracle.

The first miracle had come when he regained his sight three days to the national examinations.

Ombima had been out of class for close to six months after he turned blind.

In an interview at the school on Sunday, Ombima said two days after schools opened for the second term this year, he woke up in the morning and realised he had a boil around his left eye.

Ombima said he decided to squeeze the boil that evening, as it had become painful.

“When I woke up the following day, I could not see anything. It was dark,” he said.

The candidate, now 15-years-old, said Kakamega Little Lilies Academy head teacher Josephine Ouna took him to Sabatia Eye Hospital in Vihiga County and upon examination, he was told his eyes had no problem.

Ombima said he was taken to a different doctor in Kakamega town.

“I was given some drugs and injections, but my sight was not restored... I went to more than 10 other hospitals, but still could not see,” he said.

He said his dream of joining Friends School Kamusinga in Bungoma County also vanished.

The Kakamega Little Lilies Academy head teacher said they had no option but to send the candidate back to his parents in Ileho, Shinyalu sub-county.

“His health had started deteriorating after the incident and we even reported to education officials that we had a special candidate who was blind. We wanted them to send us someone who would help him do the KCPE exams,” said Ms Ouna.

She said two weeks to the start of the examinations, the candidate requested to return to school. He was allowed back, but had to be helped to bath, wash his clothes, feed and walk around the school.

The institution’s director Gait Amahwa said they were informed by his parents that his three elder brothers also experienced some problems before sitting national examinations.

“His eldest brother, while in Form Four, ran berserk and did not sit exams. The second born became ill in Class Eight, first term, and dropped out of school. The third born dropped out of school in Class Seven,” said Ms Amahwa.

According to Amahwa, fellow candidates and teachers agreed to fast and pray for Ombima to regain his sight.

Three days to the examinations their prayer was answered.

“The family attributed the problem to witchcraft,” said Amahwa.

Anne Ombima, the mother of the boys from the poverty stricken family, said God did a miracle to her son. She now wants well-wishers to help her pay her son’s secondary education.  

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