A 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidate from a poor background has been looking for ways to end his life after all hopes of transiting to Secondary School were lost.

The 13-year-old Brian Otieno Mboya, hailing from Andingo village, Komolo Location, within Homa Bay East ward did his exams at Roba Primary School within the same ward and came out with 329 marks.

Brian had psychological issues which were fueled by stress due to helplessness pertaining to his education which pushed him to make several unsuccessful attempts in his life.

He was later introduced to Rachel Oyugi who is a psychologist at Oasis Doctors Union Homa Bay, to get help.

“I was in my office when I met a sickly woman with a young boy. She told me that the boy, Brian, had six times tried to end his life,” said Oyugi.

Speaking to KNA, the psychologist said that Brian wanted to end his life to reduce the burden on his ailing mother who is not in a position to cater for his secondary education.

“When I asked him why he attempted suicide, he told me that he had lost hope in his education. The boy wants to join Homa Bay High School but his family is in no position to help him progress with his education,”  Oyugi said.

She said that in their first interaction, Brian was disturbed and looked dejected

“They were brought to me by one of the community leaders to seek help for the boy. I counselled the boy and it’s a miracle that today I am seeing him so energetic and hopeful again because when I first met him, he was distraught,” said the psychologist.

Brian’s dad died three years ago, living behind his widow, Rose Mboya and her six children.

Brian is the second last of his siblings whose elder brother completed his Kenya Certificate of Secondary School (KCSE) but due to fee-arrears, was denied his certificate and results slip.

The second born of the family is now in the fourth year of his secondary school education, the third child is in form three while the fourth born did her KCPE but failed to join form one due to financial problems.

Brian is now paranoid that he will face the same fate as his sister.

“I do not know what the future holds for me. My family is in no position to take me to school and I do not want to end up the same way my sibling did,” he cries.

He appealed to well-wishers to help him transition to secondary school, a step towards realizing his dream of becoming a surgeon in future.

“I want to become a surgeon in future but with everything that is going on, I only want to beseech well-wishers to please help me join Homa Bay High School,” he said.

On the other hand, the family is in dire need of financial support owing to their situation at home.

 He said that his mother had set aside half a sack of maize to give to the principal of Homa Bay High School as a substitute for school fees to allow her son to join his school.

Mboya who was shocked by her son's suicidal intentions also begged for any kind of help to enable them to get through this predicament.