Happy ending for brave Form Two student begging for school fees on city streets

Mellan Njeri, a Form Two student at Kihumbu-ini Secondary School in Murang'a carries a placard to solicit for school fee along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi on September 15, 2021. [Dennish Ochieng, Standard]

A schoolgirl who spent the whole of Wednesday carrying a heavy banner begging for school fees on Nairobi streets now has a reason to smile after receiving help from well-wishers.

15-year-old Mellan Njeri Njuguna a form two student at Kihumbu-ini Secondary School in Murang'a County was sent home on September 10 over Sh29,177 school fees arrears.

A day after sharing her plight, the student received assistance that will see her pursue her dreams.

When we caught up with her at Affecto Foundation in Ruiru that took up her case, happiness was written on her face, her mother Ann Wangechi Mureithi was in tears.

“Her story was painful and for any parent like me, she was feeling that her education is coming to an end and she needs to fight for that opportunity. It's sad that in future that education will perhaps be only for the? privileged” Ndungu Nyoro, founder and team leader of Affecto Foundation told The Standard.

Njeri's thirst for education pushed her to the streets to beg for school fees. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

“We called the school just to confirm that she is student and it is true that she had been having challenges for several terms and we felt that she deserves chance and no child show be denied that right to education" he added.

Nyoro said that the foundation has cleared the fees arrears and have written to the school indicating that it will sponsor her until she clears and beyond.

“We will also assist her in terms of guidance and mentorship around this foundation at the same time we will be inviting experts to come and mentor her and others we have now that she is now under that program in this family," he explained.

Nyoro said his foundation mostly focus on high school education under Watoto Wasome tagline adding that education is greatest equalizer and so far have sponsored over 100 students in four years with first cohort expected to join university this year.

Njeri who lives with her single mother has been out of school since last week Friday. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Njeri says her wish is to pursue fashion design and modeling once she clears her studies.

"I'm grateful and I thank God for that, I have been struggling by all means being sole breadwinner. I didn't get chance like her because my family was unable to raise funds. I will try my best to see Njeri and her siblings get best education that I didn't get", said Ann Wangechi Mureithi, the student's mother

Nyoro said that anyone assisting a needy student is breaking poverty chain in the society and empowering community through education.

"The standard of living has gone up to an extent that and we have people in society who cannot even afford a meal that is why we assist one another" said Nyoro.