Jeff Koinange, Jalang’o to visit girl who trekked 40km to school
Grace Akinyi, the girl who trekked 40 kilometres to raise her school fees, will have the opportunity to meet celebrated journalist Jeff Koinange and his radio show co-host Phelix Odiwour aka Jalang’o.
Akinyi’s plight grabbed media attention last week, after she walked 40km from Nambale in Busia County to Butere Girls High School in the neighboring Kakamega County where she had been admitted, in a bid to gain admission.
Clad in her Primary school uniform, the 15-year old arrived at the national school late in the evening armed with only her admission letter as her ailing mother could not afford either her school fees or personal needs including box, mattress and shoes.
Akinyi scored 392 out of 500 marks in last year’s KCPE exam from Nasira AC Primary School in Nambale Sub-County.
Her father Duncan Owino died in 2003 when she was six months old. Her mother is jobless and unable to pay her school fees.
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Akinyi’s tale has touched Koinange, an award winning journalist and formerly CNN reporter, who now wants to meet her.
“This is one brave girl. We will pay her a visit on February 9 and take her some shopping. Anyone who wishes to send her something through us is invited,” Koinange said during his morning show.
Already, Akinyi has received considerable appreciation from the public including Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu who has pledged to clear her entire fees this year.
Others sponsors who have assisted Akinyi are Westlands lawmaker Tim Wanyonyi who has paid for Akinyi’s second year secondary school education totaling Sh53,554 plus a further Sh10,560 for the girl’s uniform.
Hairkurushne Patel, the proprietor of Ronak Supermarket in Bungoma town has also forked out some Sh53,554 which will cater for the girl’s form three school fees. Another parent from Eldoret, Bertha Rotich did full shopping for the girl and sent it through Easy Coach bus service.