Mercy Nyambura

Mercy joined Bridge, Jasho Nyingi in Nakuru County back in 2014. As soon as she started, she could tell this school was different to ones she had attended before: “I was struggling to learn at my old school, which is why my mother moved me to a Bridge school. I began to learn more right away, motivated and encouraged by my new teachers.” Bridge teachers deliberately create a positive classroom environment which builds stronger pupil-teacher relationships and helps improve learning. It can come as a surprise to children who are not used to this kind of classroom environment! Her favourite thing about school has always been the teachers, “they’re very friendly and always make so much effort,” she says smiling.

Mercy is the daughter of a tailor and a lumberjack: “My family are really humble, but we are proud.” She has two siblings, one who is in Class 6 at her school and another who is just two-years-old: “they’ll have to wait before they can go to Bridge,” she says laughing. Now, that she has done so well in her exams her siblings will have a lot to live up to! As the oldest, she has a lot of daily responsibilities. In addition to doing her homework, she has to fetch water and clean her home. Normally she does this while singing: “I love to sing,” she says and she joined the choir as soon as she started at school. Luckily for Mercy, her school is only five minutes from her home, making it easy for her. Some of her friends have to walk for miles to go to school which makes their journey long and tiring—not the ideal start to a full day of learning.

Mercy credits her Bridge teachers with her success and although sad to be leaving the school she loves, she has reasons to be excited. The next step on her academic journey will be secondary school, and luckily as one of the best scoring pupils in the whole country she hopes to have her pick of prestigious schools to choose from where she can pursue her ambitions to be a doctor. Now, I have seen my KCPE mark “I’m even more confident I can succeed. But, wherever my education takes me, I want to come home and help the people in my community,” she concludes.