When Florence Muia Nyenya, a mother of seven from Kitui County, decided to go back to school after 14 years of marriage, her biggest worry was the ridicule she would have to endure in pursuit of her dreams.
And true to her fears, the 34-year-old caused a stir, both within and outside the school.
On her first day as a Form One student at Nzuli Mixed Day Secondary School in Mwingi West Constituency in July 2016.
Her classmates, most of whom were 20 years younger than her, burst into laughter when the school principal introduced her.
But none of the scorn and ridicule could deter her from her dreams of academic excellence. Outside the school, her peers at Thaana Nzau village mocked her as a “confused woman” who was returning to school to escape the pressures of marriage and bringing up her big children.
HONOURABLE STUDENT
Florence is now basking in the glory of having surmounted great odds to qualify for university admission after scoring a C+ mean grade of 52 points in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
“My children who were also in the neighbouring primary school withstood similar mockery; their fellow pupils would mock them that their mother is schooling at an old age,” she told the Nation during the interview at her home.
Her husband, Nyenya Kathuku, was not spared the teasing either, as his drinking buddies would mischievously joke that he’d go to jail if his wife became pregnant again because she was now a student.
For the four years she was a student, she juggled between her domestic chores and the demands of full-time schooling.
She would wake up at 4am daily, prepare breakfast for her children and then trek a distance of four kilometres to school.
“It was quite a challenge because I also used to sleep late after ensuring the family was fed and I had done my homework, but I never had any trouble with lateness,” she said.
INSPIRATIONAL
In the sleepy village, it was a spectacle to see the middle-aged woman walk to and from school donning her green and white uniform.
Her story of passion for education and determination to succeed is being cited in Kitui to inspire young girls who have been victims of early marriages and teenage pregnancy, letting them know that one can bounce back and pursue her ambitions.
Mrs Nyenya is now among the 125,746 students from across the country who are set to join various public universities next year.
Born in 1985, she did her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in 1999 and scored an impressive 483 marks out of 700, but her parents were too poor to afford her secondary education fees. Therefore, she did not turn up for admission at Kimangao Girls Secondary School.
According to her, the next three years were spent idling at their village home until 2003 when she got pregnant and decided to get married.
“I gave birth to my first born that same year, and in quick succession I had six other children in a span of 14 years,” she said.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Then one day, in early 2016, she got a chance to speak to former Kitui Woman Rep Nyiva Mwendwa and told her about her desire to continue with her education.
Ms Mwendwa offered to pay her secondary school fees through her office.
Before seeking admission, she took time to convince her husband, a casual labourer, that the idea was worth pursuing.
“My husband agreed to support me, especially with the family chores, and even helped me secure the admission at the nearby day secondary school,” she says.
She rejoined school at the end of the second term. Florence quickly adjusted to her new life and became the student to beat in the continuous assessment tests.
In her final year, she was elected the school president. With her grade, she was the fourth best student in the school.
“My decision to go back to school and my excellent performances in end of term exams motivated many students in the village, including my own children, who felt challenged by their mother,” she says, adding that her firstborn son sat for his KCPE exams this year and got 338 marks.
She hopes to pursue a law degree at the University of Nairobi.