Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Egerton University Articles Main Category
Alumnus who became a mathematician  despite first failing KCPE

Alumnus who became a mathematician despite first failing KCPE

Dr. Purity Ngina first rose to fame when she became the youngest Ph.D. holder in Biomathematics that she attained at Strathmore University in 2018 at the age of 28.

She had three publications to her name and she mainly published papers on HIV/AIDS as she felt that it had affected many people in society. "Many people are unaware that mathematics can offer solutions to diseases. I saw a gap that needed a voice and that kept me going," she shares.

Her journey has not been an easy one as she has had her fair share of ups and downs.

"I grew up in Nyeri county in Kieni East in a small village called Mbiriri. My brother and I were raised by a single mother. I completed primary school in 2002 and unfortunately, I did not do well as I got 235 marks out of 500," Dr. Ngina recalls.

Her mother urged her to re-sit, her KCPE as she knew the value of education especially since she hadn't been able to acquire an education herself. In 2003 she re-did her exams and attained 369 marks. Luckily, she managed to secure a spot in TumuTumu Girls, based in Karatina in 2004.

 

Getting into high school

"It was my first time to be away from home. I struggled to fit in especially since my mum could barely afford the shopping. I decided to bury myself in books and I figured that education would take me places. I also joined the choir and got involved in activities that helped me adapt to the new environment. Deep down I knew I had to do my best," she narrates.

With a lot of perseverance and a lot of sleepless nights, she successfully finished her High School Education by scoring a B plus. In 2009, she joined Egerton University to pursue a degree in Bachelor of Education, Science, Maths, and Chemistry.

Via: Nation Media

Story from an Egerton Alumnus who took the Arava Internship Programme in Israel

Story from an Egerton Alumnus who took the Arava Internship Programme in Israel

Here is another beautiful story from an Egerton Alumnus who took the Arava Internship Programme in Israel.
 
"My name is Rachael Ngina. In 2018-2019, I got an internship in Israel, Arava Desert. I was so surprised to see the Israelis producing food and even exporting their excess food, yet their land is too dry. Actually not even the wild shrubs survive because of the hot climate, they even import soil. My first weeks were so bad, it felt like being roasted and I frequently had headaches.
 
However, I got experience in production of onions, pumpkins, garlic, dates, grapes, pomelos, mangoes, etc.
If Israelis could produce in such a harsh environment, why were our own TURKANA people dying of hunger yet their climatic conditions were not as bad as compared to Israel.
When I came back home I was so determined to go to Turkana and bring change. I learned that the only way to deal with food insecurity was not to give people ready made food, but to teach them how to produce their own food.
 
Today am proud that after 6months, they have been fully equipped with skills on production of their own food from nursery establishment, land preparation, transplanting, pest control, harvesting, and post-harvest handling. Today those in Lobur, Kibish, Lodwar, Maisa, Katangon, Nariakotome, etc are healthy and happy. Their children have access to fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals."
 
Rachael Ngina, Furrows in the Desert
 

Copyright © 2025 Egerton University
"Transforming Lives through Quality Education"