Siaya: A student who was on the verge of missing the chance to join Maranda High School in 2022 has repaid an act of charity from a total stranger by registering a sterling performance in the 2025 KCSE examination. Denis Otieno Ochieng, together with his ‘God-sent mother’, Everlyne Wafula, celebrated after he scored an impressive A plain of 83 points in the just-released KCSE results.
According to Kenya News Agency, the relationship between Denis and his foster mother, Everlyne Wafula, began in February 2022 when he was brought for admission in form one by his biological mother, a single parent and vegetable vendor in Siaya. Everlyne coincidentally visited Maranda to discuss payment for fumigation services she had provided when she noticed a woman fighting back tears in the waiting area.
Everlyne recounted her interest in the crying mother and requested a private conversation to understand her predicament while they both waited to see the school principal, Dr. Edwin Namachanja. Denis’s biological mother revealed that her son was turned away from the admission desk due to a lack of school fees and other necessities, and her hopes lay with the school principal.
When Everlyne met the principal, she set aside her own business to present the case of the mother and son lacking school fees, promising to cover Denis’s fees throughout his four years. The principal admitted Denis, allowing Everlyne to purchase his uniform while the school provided bedding and other essentials.
Denis, who sat his KCPE at Ronald Ngala Primary School in Nairobi and scored 389 marks, maintained excellent results throughout his four years at Maranda and aspires to pursue a degree in medical surgery. Everlyne praised Denis for his humility and lack of demands beyond school necessities, expressing her pride and commitment to supporting his educational journey.
Everlyne, from Bungoma County, appealed to the Siaya county government and Maranda High School’s alumni association to support Denis’s university education, as financing his degree might be challenging. Denis expressed gratitude to God, his ‘God-sent Mum’, his mother, and his teachers at Maranda for their unwavering support.
Maranda High School registered a mean grade of 10.2, with 101 students scoring A plain, 184 students achieving A-, and over 550 obtaining direct university entry grades.