Hamida Jonas carries a rare title in her family; she is the only one still in school. She comes from a large family of 7 children comprising 6 girls and 1 boy. Her siblings’ paths tell a different story, one of her sisters was married off at 15 and now, at just 21, has 3 children in Mnele village.
Another sister, only 14, failed Grade 7 and, influenced by friends, refused to repeat the year. Despite these realities, Hamida’s parents trust and respect her commitment to education.
A Form IV student at Nyakato Secondary School, she began her journey here in 2022 when the school was still new, transferring from Ihalamilo Primary where she walked long distances despite a leg problem that often made her late to school.
A teacher in the making
When she joined Nyakato in Form I, the school had only 4 teachers. The number increased gradually and 7 more volunteers and teachers were added. Hamida aspires to be a teacher and hopes to go to University where she will study Education, specializing in Kiswahili and Literature. She aims to be an inspiration to others the way her own teachers have inspired her.