Mathew Nyamlori was the true embodiment of resilience and sheer determination, doing what most people deemed impossible. He shot into the limelight after revealing that he sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) national exams a record nine times and spent 22 years in different primary schools. Nyamlori passed away on Monday, January 20, after a brave fight with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering perseverance and hope.
Early Life
Nyamlori was born in Nyakai Subcounty in Kisumu County , and his life was marked by abject poverty. His family lived in a grass-thatched house where getting daily meals was next to impossible and they relied on well-wishers for his and his family’s survival.
Academic Journey
Hia academic journey began in 1989 where he enrolled at the Kipsimbol Primary School for his early childhood education it was at the same institution that he sat for his first KCPE exams in 1998, scoring 478 marks out of 700. He received admission to Kabianga Secondary School but could not attend due to lack of fees. In 1999, he joined Standard Eight at Rongo Primary School for his second attempt at the exam and he scored 559 marks, receiving an admission letter to Kanga High School.
His fortunes would soon begin to look up, as his aunt offered to pay his school fees at the institution. However, he dropped out after finances ran out, which led to him staying out of school for two years, working as a casual labourer at a milling factory in Nairobi.
He decided to go back to school and in 2002, he was admitted at Kitere Primary School and at his third attempt at KCPE, he scored 387 marks earning him a spot at Rapogi High School. Luck still evaded him, and he failed to join the institution that year.
The following year, he enrolled at Sony Sugar Primary school, and he once again made an impressive score of 399 marks and received a second admission letter to Rapogi High School. This time was no different, and he gave up his chance to join the school.
In 2004, he enrolled at Rangwe Junior Academy, and he topped with 434 marks, earning him a spot at Maseno High School, amd was able to study for one term before dropping out in the second term
Five years later, he was back in school at Agape Academy Kosele in 2011, where he scored 401 marks and was admitted to Maranda High School. He dropped out shortly after and he decided he would try his luck one more time.
In his final attempt, he enrolled at Oriri Primary School and scored 403 marks earning him a spot at thw prestigious Nairobi School. In what he described as his luckiest year, he was chosen for the Equity Bank’s Wings to Fly scholarship program which fully sponsored his high school education.
In 2015, he sat for his KCSE exams, scoring a B+ (plus) of 71 points that led him to Kenyatta University to pursue Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration degree from Kenyatta University.
He graduated in 2021, stating that it was a miracle that he had managed to get to the end of his educational journey after more than three decades of navigating the 8.4.4 curriculum.
“I am the happiest person on earth because the journey that started in 1989 ended on Friday (July 2021). It is indeed a miracle,” he stated in a past interview.
Cancer diagnosis
A few months after graduation, Nyamlori who was looking to get into formal employment was diagnosed with Stage 3 Gastric Cancer, causing his plans to hit a snug.
The treatments were brutal on his body and he often shared updates videos on his social media platforms looking frail as he pursued various types of treatment.
In his final days, Nyamlori was admitted at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu before being transferred to a Nairobi facility last week due to his worsening health.
His journey came to an end on January 20, 2025, when he he succumbed to the illness
His journey inspired many, showing that no hurdle is too great to overcome in the pursuit of education and personal growth. Mathew Nyamlori leaves a behind a legacy of hope, and his story will continue to resonate as a testament to the power of determination and the human spirit.
