Top girl following Maathai's footsteps

By Edwin Cheserek

Chenangat Lonyangapuo, 17, who emerged the best girl in last year’s KCSE examinations, celebrated her excellent results at her former primary school.

Accompanied by her mother Mary Lonyangapuo, relatives and friends, she trooped to Queen of Angels Academy in Eldoret.

"I chose to celebrate here to appreciate the foundation the school gave me and also thank what Alliance Girls High School did for me to pass," she said.

The academy was abuzz with joy as pupils and teachers mobbed her when she entered the compound.

It was here that Chenangat, the daughter to Public Works PS John Lonyangapuo, declared she wanted to be an environmentalist.

She also said she would use her influence as a top performer in the national exams to motivate her peers in Pokot County.

Chenangat Lonyangapuo

The former Alliance Girls student said her decision to choose environmental engineering as a career was informed by the need to conserve the environment.

"My dream is to find ways to conserve and better our environment to alleviate pollution and degradation," she said.

Family members adorned her in Pokot traditional regalia as they sung and danced.

Chenangat, who was ranked position four nationally, said she learnt of her "shocking" performance through a friend.

"News of my results was a shocker to me because I had not imagined I would be way up there," she said.

She revealed that she had been waiting for the results with a lot of anxiety.

Chenangat attributed her feat to hard work and overwhelming support from her parents.

"My parents always encouraged me not to give up in anything that I desired to achieve in life," she told The Standard.

Chenangat said she wanted to work hard and pass because she got the opportunity to attend school unlike some underprivileged children in her rural village.

Her mother, who is a lecturer at Moi University, said she believed her daughter performed well because of God’s grace.

"We thank God for what he has done for her. We always prayed that she passes her exams," Mary said.

The elated mother said they expected her to perform well but did not expect a "most sterling performance".

Her former primary school teacher, Ms Grace Nyabuti, described Chenangat as a disciplined and hard-working pupil.

Chenangat sat her KCPE exams in 2007 and scored 432 out of the possible 500 marks. She was ranked position 74 nationally.

She said she would be visiting girls in the village to inform them on the importance of education.