On 21 November 2018, a KCPE candidate from Nairobi’s Korogocho area emerged with a strong result after studying under difficult family conditions. Fourteen-year-old Eugene Leon scored 336 marks even as he spent much of his time caring for his mother, who is suffering from cancer.
Leon said revision was often interrupted by his mother’s pain, which forced him to stop studying and attend to her. He described the experience as emotionally draining and said it left him unable to concentrate on his books for long periods.
According to Leon, his mother’s illness also deepened the family’s financial hardship. He said there were times when they went without food.
He credited part of his performance to help from teachers and from his mother’s friends, who occasionally brought support for him and his younger brother. Leon said some teachers also offered free tuition because they understood his situation.
Leon said he hopes to join Starehe Boys Centre and later train as an engineer. He also said his father abandoned the family when he was still young, during his pre-unit years.
