LCCF Scholar 10th In Nationwide Examinations!
Onyango Stanley Omondi, a Loisaba Community Conservation Foundation scholarship student, came first in Nyanza Province and tenth in the country in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations – an exam taken by over 630,000 students.
LCCF has supported Stanley throughout his Secondary school education where he attended Maranda High School in Siaya County. Stanley’s father, Omollo has been Loisaba Conservancy’s Ranch Clerk for the past 21 years.
The morning of the results, Omollo looked on the internet at the examination results and saw in tenth place ‘Omondi of Maranda School’ – however there are more than 20 Omondis at Maranda School. Omollo and the rest of the staff rushed to the Staff Village to watch the results being announced on TV at 1pm. “We were all in a state of panic, excitement and anxiety as we waited but unfortunately again the news just showed the single name”.
“I called my wife and told her that I had seen the name Omondi and I believed it was our son”. Omollo was told by his wife to not start singing about something you are not certain about!
On the 7pm news, in tenth place was Stanley Onyango, no mention of Omondi. The same position, same school but a different set of names – Omollo’s sons first names. “For me, that was confirmation. There was great excitement and everyone was jumping up and down in the hall as they all know Stanley well”. Omollo called Stanley but he was at a football match and was not home untill 8pm. That is when his father told him the news. He replied to his father “Yes, I have heard…”
Stanley has a two-week internship with Equity Bank this month and then hopes to study architecture at either Strathmore or Nairobi University. We wish him luck in the future and were fortunate enough to catch up with him last week and discuss his fantastic results.
Q + A with Stanley Omondi:
Where were you born?
I was born in Ambira Hospital, Ugunja Distict in Siaya County. I attended Pattand Academy Primary School and then went to Maranda High school also in Siaya County. My father was born in Siaya County but started work at Loisaba in Laikipia 1998.
How many brothers and sisters do you have?
I have one sister who is the eldest and three brothers, I am the second youngest. My two brothers and sister live in Nairobi, my sister is an actor there. I still live with my mother and younger brother and am very close to my family.
What was your parent’s response to your exam results?
I am not good at reading people’s expressions but I think they are just happy. I am starting a two week internship with Equity bank in January. They contacted me direct after the results came out.
What or who inspires you most?
I am yet to know that. I channel myself to achieve what I want. I set a goal and aim to achieve it.
What do you like most about studying?
Learning new things every day. Physics is my favourite subject.
What do you find the most difficult about studying?
Getting the assignments given by teachers done. The teachers worked us very hard. I was at Boarding school so it was easy to study there. It is difficult to study at home as I have many brothers asking me questions and work to do as well when at home.
What would you like to study at University?
I would like to go to university and study architecture. After that I am not aware as to what I will do, I will just plan as life goes on. In Kenya, I would like to go to university of Nairobi and Starthmore. But if given the opportunity I would like to go and study in the United States.
What do you love most about living in Laikipia?
I haven’t spent much time in Laikipia but when I was a kid I used to go horse riding which was fun with my brothers and Max Silvester.
Would you like to visit other countries?
I would like to go to Malaysia, to see the Orangutans. My friend went to the Gorilla conservation centre in Rwanda and did a video chat to us so we could see them.
What advice would you give to other children in order to succeed in exams?
I would tell them to give the concepts they have not understood time and not to hurry them and to also consult their teachers. I had a problem with kinematics in Maths. I gave it about three weeks, although it was only taught for about 3 days and after giving it time and consulting my teachers and doing exercises I understood it.
By: Izzy Parsons
Congratulations to Stanley Onyango. Gosh, 10th is really Excellent. I remember how excited and pleased I was when, back in about 1953 (yes Nineteen Fifty Three) I passed the K.P. That was the Kenya Prelim exam primary school pupils took to get into secondary school. I was pleased to have passed, and really very pleased indeed to have come “80th in the Colony” as Kenya was at the time. I still attend school reunions back here in England where the Old Girls of the Highlands School, Eldoret, meet every other year. Last year 3 “old girls” came to help me celebrate my 77th birthday.
Best wishes for a very successful career and a happy and healthy life.
Gill Trayner