For many people, life follows a predictable path, but for Purity Nkatha, life was marked by immense hardship, illness and sacrifice.
Despite these challenges, she managed to build a future for herself, graduating as part of the 2025 cohort from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), proof of her resilience.
Purity's early life was tough, marked by instability and poverty. There were times when she had nowhere to sleep and no guarantee that she would survive.
“My journey to this moment has been far from ordinary. I grew up facing hardships that at times left me without a place to sleep,” Purity narrated.
Yet even in those moments, a quiet dream of becoming a health professional lived within her. An ambition of helping others heal.
At 32 years old, she decided to return to school and sat for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, proving it is never too late.
However, just when her academic journey began to take shape, she suffered Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune condition.
“I vividly remember moving from hospital wards straight into examination rooms, weak, frightened, and in unbearable pain. But somehow, with faith and resilience, I still passed, and I passed well!” she revealed.
Choosing to pursue nursing came with new challenges, including leaving behind her four-year-old daughter so she could train and build a future that would one day secure her child’s.
According to Nkatha, joining KMTC marked a turning point in her life. She says that in a long while, she felt seen and supported. She had just found a community that believed in her potential.
“However, I drew on borrowed strength, with support from friends, well-wishers, and compassionate individuals who chose to walk alongside me. Their support kept me in education, continued my treatment, and kept my dream alive,” Nkatha said.
Nkatha currently stands as a proud KMTC graduate, proof that hope can survive even in the harshest conditions.
