“I came to Achungo 3 years ago having heard about it from my cousin who is in Class 1. Before that I attended Gates Academy in Rodi Kopany. At Achungo, the environment is admirable, the teachers are friendly, but at my former school we were rarely taught due to lack of teachers.
“When I first came, I was frightened because I was used to Swahili and found it very hard to speak fluent English. But in the end, it (English-immersion teaching) helped me and I got used to it very quickly. Something else different here is that teachers are punctual and are understanding of all kinds of situations. The students are hardworking and are so caring. The teachers are very friendly. You can even share your secrets with them. They are responsible and the school performs very well.
“I live with my aunt, Belinda, in Rodi Kopany near Ndiru Primary School (about a mile from Achungo). She has three children, Linah (7), Jena (6), and June (16). They all go to school. She stays home to take care of me and her children and has a garden plot to grow our food. The children are healthy but the oldest has asthma and uses an inhaler. My parents work far away from here, having been transferred to another county. My father is a business man and rarely comes home. It’s been 2 years since I last saw him. I only talk to him on the phone. My mum sells clothes.
“I like to study with my best friend and she helps me at math. We like playing football (soccer) and I visit her on holidays. I also enjoy swimming with friends in a pool or river and on holidays, we go running every morning and evening.
“I want to become a doctor and save lives. I want to be a neurosurgeon and a specialist in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the brain. I want to be like Sir Willian MacEwen, one of the pioneers of modern brain surgery who contributed to the development of bone graft surgery. My mum told me about the first successful brain surgery that was performed on a teenage girl without the use of body-imaging devices in 1879 by Sir William. I want to be like him in the future.