Girl hawks 'sukuma wiki' to raise Form One fees

Part of the appeal Addah Musungu posted on social media asking for help. [Nathan Ochunge, Standard]

It is three months since Form One students reported to school, but Addah Musungu, from Shianda village in Butere sub-county, is still at home.

Musungu, who scored 345 marks in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams, is hopeful that she will still join Form One.

Her parents were unable to raise Sh42,226 to send her to St Mary’s Girls High School in Mwea, where she was admitted, so Musungu took to social media in search of help.

Part of her appeal reads: “I wish I was in high school. I am 14 years old and scored 345 marks and up to now I have not joined school. I now help my mother to sell sukuma wiki in Kayole but the money I get and Dad’s mjengo (cash) is not enough to pay my school fees… I know you can help.”

Speaking to The Standard yesterday, Musungu said a Good Samaritan helped see her through primary education at Esva Community School, but could not pay her secondary school fees because he lost his job last year.

“On a good day, I can collect Sh350 after hawking sukuma wiki the whole day and make a profit of between Sh70 and Sh100. I save Sh200 daily for buying new stock the following day,” she said.

For the past two months, Musungu has saved a paltry Sh2,500, making her dream of joining Form One seem distant.