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Sunday, December 8, 2024
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Girl Photographed On Risky Boda Boda Ride Gets Support

School Girl on risky Boda Boda ride lights up social mediaThe story of 13-year-old Faith Jepchirchir, photographed above in a risky boda-boda ride, andย whose plight was highlighted inย The Standardย last week, has touched the hearts of Good Samaritans.

Jepchirichir, a class five pupil, had perilously hunched herselfย over a pile of firewood that was beingย ferried in a motorbike in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Her photos circulated on social mediaย  went viral.

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She had walked several kilometres to assist her 70-year-old grandmother, Lilianย Kobilo, fetch firewood in Kamotonyย Forest in Kapsowar, which the granny sells for the upkeep of Jepchirichir and her two siblings.

The bod-boda operator had offered to transport the firewood freely for the granny who hadย been strandedย with the heavy load for hours.ย Rather than a trudge home, Jepchirichirย settled for the near-suicidal ride.

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Amid the trolling and excitement that was all over social media about the ride,ย The Standardย team chose to highlight Jepchirchir’s plight. And it was a story ofย ย a life of struggle and survival in abject poverty under the care of aย  grandmother determined to overcome adversity .

Faith Jepchirchir, 13, hold a copy of The Standard in which her story was highlighted. [Courtesy]

Jepchirchir can now afford to walkย  in shoes โ€“ thanks to Soles for African Child, a Nairobi-based NGOย that has donated several pairs of shoes after reading about her plight.

When her story was highlighted,ย public-spirited people called in with offers to support Jepchirchir’s general well-being and educationย which seemed to be dependent on her aging grandmotherโ€™s meagre earnings from selling firewood.

Last week Soles for African Child traced Jepchirchir to Chelles Primary School inย Kapsowar Township and offered its help.

The NGO donates shoes to underprivileged peopleย in slums and other informal settlements.

The team said it was touched by Jepchirchirโ€™s remarks in ourย story. She she had vowed to buy a Sh100 pair of shoes from her first salary as a medical doctor, a career she wants to pursue.

Speaking whenย The Standardย team accompanied the NGO’s staff to ย Kapsowar,ย  her grandmother and Jepchirchirโ€™s head teacher Salina Mumol described her as a very hardworking, kind and focused girl.

โ€œIt is only shortageย and problems at home that holdย her self-esteem down,โ€ said Mumol.

โ€œWhen we read the story, it touched a place in our hearts,โ€ said Mr Okoth, the NGO’s team leader.

They brought with them several pairs of shoes for Jepchirchir and her siblings, household items and food.

Well-wishers when they visited Jepchirchir at her home. [Courtesy]

Jepchirchir broke down in tears of joy saying that she could not believe how the motorbikeย ย ride could have brought herย  her such favours.

โ€œI am grateful and may God bless you. I promise to work hard and make you and my grandmother proud,โ€ she could only manage to say.

standardmedia.co.ke

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