Updated Wednesday, August 15 2012 at 00:00 GMT+3
Straight Talk with Njoki Karuoya
In last week’s issue, I asked you to send an inspirational story on how your single father or mother inspired you to be a better person, or to be the person you are today. Carol Kinuthia’s story inspired the most and she wins a two-night complimentary stay at the Sun n Sand Beach Resort at the Coast.
Here is her story.
“A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary” so says Dorothy C Fisher. I always attribute this to Elizabeth W Kinuthia, my mum.
My dad passed away when my sister and I were in nursery school (as am told). During the same period, mum was nine months pregnant with my last born and jobless. More problems evolved when my sister and I joined primary school since paying fees and maintaining our upkeep was tough. My mother did casual work around the village, but could not get enough for our upkeep and school fees.
Cheapest school
We spent more days at home than in school. Luckily, primary education became free when I was in Class Five. The rest of our learning became smooth. Despite the hardship, my mum worked hard. I cannot remember any day we slept hungry. There were times we went to school without breakfast, but she always hustled before lunch and brought us something all the way to school, 3km from home. Sometimes it would be boiled potatoes, maize but at least something for the stomach. She would confidently tell us tumbo haina kioo (The stomach does not have a mirror, no one will see what you ate).
Hell broke loose when my sister and I completed Class Eight. My mother had saved Sh5,000 for my sister. She went around looking for the cheapest school due to finances. With only Sh5,000, she joined a nearby day school. Mummy saved Sh1,000 per month from milk sold from her cow, which she used to pay school fees. Second and third term was not easy. My sister was in and out of school.
This really affected me when I was in Class Eight. There were times I felt like giving up but no, my mother always assured me that I would join secondary school. After the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, by God’s grace, I managed to score 318 marks. These marks would have gotten me to a good school, but where was the money? Due to this, I never went for my admission letter.
Cut-off grade
Mum looked for the cheapest school, got as many fee structures as she could, compared them and got me an affordable school. “It is about my performance not our performance,” she insisted.
By God’s grace, I was admitted to a day school 5km away from home. Mum did not have any savings. She sold the only thing she had, her cow. She paid for the next one year for both of us and hence was left with nothing. Form Two came and there was no fees. My mother had to do all kinds of jobs till late in the night. Unfortunately, this was not enough. She would pay our fees in instalments of Sh50 and Sh100. She was always the first one to apply for bursary.
We often walked around with a ‘pledge note’ to avoid being sent home. Schooling for us was in shifts — when one was in school, the other would be at home. The worst moment was when both of us were at home due to lack of fees. This was painful, but normal. At such times, my mum’s words still rang in my mind: “You will make it. Do you think those who make it have two heads and two hearts?”
What is so unique about my mother is that when we were at home for school fees, we still had to wake up as usual, do house chores and get to books. It was a school at home! She would do the rest by herself but don’t mistake it, we had our duties to make us responsible. After the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, my sister did not make it to the university and had to stay at home. This was enough stress for me. I wondered whether I would end up like her. I followed my mother’s advice and prayed to God to help me attain the cut-off grade for public university.
Made it to campus
My mum was very supportive. She would set the alarm at 3.30am, wake me up and make sure I did not doze while reading. Sometimes I would attend group discussion and leave school late and I would always find her standing by the roadside, in the cold, waiting to provide security for me. She would even borrow past papers for me even if she never knew the content of the papers!
She never missed any of our school meetings. She would study my report form and compare it with the previous ones. I had to explain any decline. This explains how despite all the obstacles, I managed to get a B+, joined Kenyatta University and will be in Fourth Year come next month. My brother is in Form Four and doing great, all courtesy of mum’s support and hard work.
My mum is a heroine. I saw her do all kinds of jobs including digging, milking, trimming fences, repairing buildings and providing security at night. At one time, she built a kitchen by herself! She was not interested in fashion. One Sunday best was okay for her. She would buy us clothes, but not herself, She was always the last in her list. Though mum is financially challenged, she is a billionaire when it comes to love, kindness, determination and hard work.
We love you sweet mum and we pray that the Almighty shall satisfy you with good health and a happy and long life to see our success. This is also my prayer for all the mothers across the world; those who stand by their children. We love you our dear mothers.
Carol N Kinuthia,
Kenyatta University.
