By Martin Ruto
Lotumoi Peter Kibet, a form one student at Chewoyet Boys national school has beaten odds to get to where he is currently.
He was born in 1996 in a polygamous family and was abandoned by the mother outside one of the hotels in Ortum town.
The owner of the hotel handed the little boy to a full gospel pastor who took care of Lotumoi till he got to class three. His father resurfaced and took him to his home in Sebit area in Ortum Batei zone.
Since his dad was polygamous, his problems didn’t stop. He was neither taken to school nor provided with basic needs. His suffering prompted him to move out of his father’s home to Kabichbich area in Pokot South sub-county where he became a herder.
For two years, he was a herder but he still thirsted for education. After moving from Kabichbich area, he decided to look for the late Rev Murpus, who used to assist needy children, but found out that the Rev was out of the country.
In 2016, another pastor in Kaibos area in Kapenguria decided to hire him as a cattle herder.
As he was herding animals at Kaibos primary school play field, the head teacher, madam Sarah Pkeiyo spotted him and asked him to join the school.
When Madam Sara Pkeiyo and her deputy were transferred, the boy’s tribulations hunted him again since the new management refused to assist him.
Ramadhan Bakari, the former head teacher of Makutano primary school in West Pokot County allowed the boy to learn in his school in class 8.
In 2018, he did his KCPE and scored 333 marks and was called to join St. Anthony Boys high school. Lack of school fees prompted him to repeat class 8 at Makutano primary school where he scored 379 marks.
From there, he secured a chance at Chewoyet Boys National School and was a beneficiary of the wings to fly scholarship from Equity bank.
Speaking to Education News, Lotumoi promised to work hard in his studies so as to pursue political science at the university.
During school holidays, he stays at Shiloh United church, Makutano branch.
‘Am very grateful to Pastor Job Banda Kigweyo and the Shiloh United Church Makutano branch for assisting me and offering me a place to stay.’ He added.
He also urged well-wishers to assist street children and the less fortunate in the societies to access education as it is a very important tool in the current world.
