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Kenya: I Was a Construction Worker During Lockdown, ‘A’ Student Says

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4 years ago

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For the eight months that the schools were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wabwire Nanjala Athman, who scored A- (Minus) of 75 points, shuttled between various construction sites in Mombasa.

The 19-year-old had to move from one site to another to supplement the earnings of his mother, who works as a house help within the Central Business District in Mombasa.

So, he did not revise regularly for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations like the rest of the students.

“I did not open those books. I used to wake up very early in the morning to work in the construction sites. When the sun went down I couldn’t study because of fatigue,” he says.

His predicament was aggravated by the fact that the single room that houses him and his mother is not connected to electricity.

“My phone is not internet-enabled. Online learning to me is vocabulary. I just heard that candidates were having their online classes. I did not have that opportunity,” he says.

Aware of the situation at home, Athman waited patiently for schools to reopen so that he could embark on serious learning and revision.

Even when he was not able to make it to the construction sites, the environment at home did not support any learning activity because he was expected to take care of his six-year-old brother when their mother was always away from home.

“My mother comes back only on weekends. So I have to look for food so that my brother and I do not starve,” he says.

When the construction work was unavailable, the boy would do menial jobs just to make the ends meet.

But despite these challenges, the teenager managed to register good performance to earn himself a slot in the university.

When schools reopened, Athman took his studies seriously to make up for the lost time.

“I am a fast learner. I hardly forget anything that I read, so it was easy for me to catch up with the rest,” he says.

Athman is one of the top students at Istiqama Secondary school. He wants to be an engineer.

His life in general has not been easy. He started at St Augustine Primary in Changamwe up to Standard Four before moving to Bright Academy, where he schooled for a year.

He again relocated to two other schools before joining Bashir Primary School, where he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and scored 376 marks.

“I was moving from one school to another due to lack of school fees. Whenever I get someone who could support my education I was forced to move to the school of the sponsor’s choice,” he says.

After the KCPE results were announced, Athman was admitted to Shimo La Tewa High School but gave up the slot due to lack of school fees.

Together with his mother Juliet Nanjala, he started looking for scholarship opportunities, which unfortunately did not materialise.

“When we were about to give up, a friend of my mother informed us that scholarship forms for Shariff Nassir Foundation were still open for application. I applied and that is how I was absorbed into the programme,” he says.

He then joined Istiqama Secondary School in Malindi under full scholarship.

“I joined the school two months after classes had already begun. However, I kept my dreams alive, not giving up despite the many challenges I had. I knew that one day, things would work out. It was just a matter of time,” he offers.

His mother told the nation.africa that she had struggled to bring up the boy, whose father disappeared as soon as he discovered that she was pregnant.

“I thank God for this miracle. I am tongue-tied. Though I believed in his ability, I did not expect this good performance. I am now happy and grateful to God,” she says as tears well her eyes.

She was particularly worried about his performance, due to the months he stayed at home, doing casual work to help her, instead of focusing on his education.

“He is a hardworking boy though I was just worried,” says Ms Nanjala.