Twin brothers Abdallah Ali Ratili and Hamisi Ali Ratili, both 16, are facing the harsh reality of being locked out of Grade 10 due to poverty.
The identical twins, who performed well in the 2025 Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) examination, have been denied the chance to join senior school because their family cannot raise over Ksh100, 000 in fees.
Abdallah scored 48 points and earned admission to St. John’s in Nandi, while Hamisi scored 47 points and qualified for Iqra Senior School in Kwale County.
Despite their academic success, the brothers remain at home, helping their mother sell firewood to support the family.
“We help our mother sell firewood in the hope that we will get something small to join school,” Abdallah said.
Despite the harsh environment, Abdallah dreams of becoming a doctor, a goal fueled by a deep desire to save lives.
However, each day, that dream feels increasingly out of reach, threatened by the harsh reality of poverty that pins him and his twin brother to the margins of opportunity.
He fears watching years of hard work and dedication vanish, replaced by a future he never chose, a life where ambition is overshadowed by scarcity and survival.
Despite this, Abdallah remains determined. Each morning, he rises with the same quiet hope that one day, someone will help bridge the gap between his potential and the means to achieve it.
At home, he shares a fleeting sense of encouragement with Hamisi, who also dreams of becoming an engineer.
Yet, each time he looks at his mother, weary from long days of struggle, he is painfully aware that dreams cannot eat.
Still, Hamisi clings to the belief that education is the only ladder out of poverty.
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He watches his peers walk to school wishing he could join them, knowing that each missed lesson is another step away from the life he has envisioned.
“I feel bad when I see my friends going to school, it hurts knowing that I won’t realize my goals without education,” he said.
Their mother Mwanaidi Ngoyo said the struggle is overwhelming. Both she and her husband are unemployed, and their income from occasional odd jobs barely covers daily necessities.
She fears that her sons will suffer the same fate as her firstborn, who could not proceed beyond Class 8 due to lack of funds.
“It is a sad reality, seeing children with passion to learn, but as parents, our means are limited,” Ngoyo said.
The twins’ plight has been observed by Mwachema Primary School teacher Mwanamisi Mzingo, who describes them as disciplined, hardworking, and determined to succeed despite extreme hardship.
She recalled occasions when the twins missed school due to lack of food or basic school contributions, yet they maintained good academic performance.
“Despite all these challenges, they still performed well,” Mzingo said.
She appealed to the public to support the twins so they can realize their dreams.
By Shaban Omar
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