Mother of seven defies odds and goes to school
Ms Shangaiyo Lolpuranai, 34, with her daughter Veronica Sakinoi. Ms Lolpuranai decided to go to school years after being married off by her father at an early age. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- She was married off by her father at an early age many years ago and thus missed the opportunity to go to school.
- She bore seven children only for her husband to later divorce her later.
- Lolpuranai now attends the same school with her children.
- Veronica Sakinoi, her first born child, says her mother is doing well in school.
In the remote dry area of Kipsing within Isiolo County, girls are taken like “property” as their fathers marry them off at an early age after undergoing circumcision.
The fathers have little regard or value for the girls’ education.
Others stay at home to look after livestock rather than join the few schools found in the area.
For those who go to schools, lack of classrooms, desks, water and chairs denies them an ideal environment for learning.
But for one woman aged 34 and a mother of seven, going back to school in quest for education is something impressive.
She was married off by her father at an early age many years ago and thus missed the opportunity to go to school.
Ms Shangaiyo Lolpuranai who has decided to go against all odds is a Standard Two pupil at Lengwenyi Primary School in Kipsing, Isiolo County.
Classrooms at Lengwenyi Primary School in Isiolo. Lack of good infrastructure has affected education standards here.
According to her, she had interest in education but her father married her off in exchange for livestock.
She bore seven children only for her husband to later divorce her later. She was left to struggle and take care of the children alone.
“I had and still have the passion for education and that’s why I have managed to take six of my children to school.
“I decided to join adult education in a nearby school but because no adults came to join the school, the teacher, Alex Muriuki, advised me to join other pupils in class one in a regular school which I did,” she said.
Ms Lolpuranai says she went through Standard One successfully and is now in Standard Two where she shares a desk with one of her daughters.
The mother of seven, who says that her seventh child has not reached school going age, urges those who are elderly and have the passion for education to enrol in school to fulfil their desires and empower themselves.
“Getting to know how to read and write is the most wonderful thing for any person living in the current times.
“Times are changing very fast and with education, technology becomes very easy to understand and use,” she says.
A girl fetches water in Isiolo. She should have been in school but many parents in the area have little regard for girl-child education.
Shangaiyo’s first daughter Veronica Sakinoi, who is in Standard Eight at Kipsing Primary School, says that as children they have always been supportive of their mother especially when it comes to class work.
“We are happy as a family to see our mother being able to read and write. She makes a lot of effort in her learning and now she doesn’t have to ask us to read the Bible for her.
“What is impressive is that she has now started understanding a lot of English words and I am proud of her. My mum is bright,” says Veronica.
Mr Alex Muriuki, a teacher at Lengwenyi Primary School. He called on education stakeholders to help schools in Isiolo.
Mr Alex Muriuki, Shangaiyo’s class teacher says that, as the teaching staff, they are happy for her passion in education and that he tries as much as he can to ensure that his oldest pupil feels appreciated and comfortable while in class.
“Shangayo’s initiative should be emulated by many parents in this pastoralist area who have never seen the door to a classroom,” says the class teacher.
Mr Muriuki urges stakeholders in education to help schools in the area by providing infrastructure as many lack important facilities, a thing which also lowers the levels of education.
