Sudanese boy fourth best student in Kenya

THURSDAY, 29 DECEMBER 2011 11:45 BY CHRISPINUS WEKESA

Fourth best boy student nationally Kuol Tito Yak is carried shoulder high by teachers at Uthiru Genesis School.

Little known Uthiru Genesis school on the outskirts of Nairobi yesterday celebrated the success of a refugee child who emerged fourth countrywide.

 Jubilant residents lined up the Nairobi-Nakuru highWay to catch a glimpse of the 16-year-old Kuol Tito Yak, a refugee, from the Kakuma refugee camp. Tito said he came to Kenya after fleeing the war in Southern Sudan in 2005.

 He met fellow Sudanese Aweng Macher who gave him accommodation and ensured he goes to school. Aweng and Tito live in Kawangware. “I am happy and grateful to God. I thank my teachers for the great support they have given me,” Tito said. He said that living as a refugee has not been easy and that God has answered his prayers.

 The tall and lanky boy hopes to join Alliance High School. “I have big dreams for my country South Sudan. I want to be a lawyer- to ensure there is justice in South Sudan. My people must get justice after many years of war,” he said.

 Tito said that he is proud to have emerged among the top 10 and that he hopes all his fellow Sudanese studying in Kenya will emulate him. His class teacher Anne Wairimu could not hide her joy.

 “He joined Uthiru Genesis school in 2005 in class three. He is a polite young boy who is very inquisitive and never kept anything to himself. Sometimes he prayed alone in the room and I wish him God's blessings,” she said.

 Titos cousin Aweng Machar said the boy didn’t know Kiswahili and this forced teachers to arrange private lessons for him. He said Tito had to skip class five and still did well in class six.

 “We have no information about our parents. We are refugees and we appeal to well wishers to help us with a scholarship for Tito. I am a first year student at the Catholic University doing a Bachelors degree in Commerce and left alone, I cannot pay his high school fees. We need assistance,” Aweng said.

 The boy who emerged tops in the country, Martin Irungu, Tito and Linda Karemi who emerged position six overall said they all want to be lawyers and that they hope they will all join Alliance High School.