Following the announcement of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, Margaret Baliseneka found herself in a jubilant celebration for her remarkable success despite facing numerous challenges.
As a student at Kenya High, Margaret encountered turbulent times, leading her to drop out of school due to personal disputes with her parents. This compelled her to take on the role of a hawker, selling snacks and fries for a living while residing with her family. Disregarding societal judgments, Margaret was focused solely on navigating her own life during this period.
Subsequently, she transitioned to employment at a nightclub in the streets of Kilifi town, an opportunity that arose through a friend’s introduction. Working there for eight months, Margaret earned a monthly salary of Sh 12,000, which she deemed sufficient at the time, considering the circumstances. Her parents, unaware of her whereabouts, initiated a search for her and reported a missing person case to various police stations.
In 2021, the police located and arrested Margaret. However, instead of immediately returning her to her hometown in Kakamega, her parents were summoned and advised to seek counseling for her. After years of engaging in various menial jobs and having dropped out of school in 2020 while in Form Three, Margaret felt a compelling urge to resume her education.
She enrolled at Bridgewater High School in Njoro, Nakuru County, where she sat for her KCSE exams in 2023. Despite the challenges she faced, Margaret excelled and achieved an A- grade. Remarkably, she was appointed as the head girl at the school, a role that greatly motivated her to serve as a positive example for other students.
Expressing gratitude for her success, Margaret attributed her achievements to God, acknowledging the remarkable performance even though she fell short of her initial target of an A plain. With aspirations to pursue a degree in medicine at the university, Baliseneka is optimistic that her outstanding grades will open doors to realizing her educational and career goals.
