Purity Mwende is almost through with her university education and a student leader at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, while the same cannot be said about many of her agemates.
Interestingly, Purity (18) was born on November 18, 2001, and she is a student leader as well as a third-year Bachelor of Commerce student.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, she revealed that she joined nursery school at the tender age of four and joined primary school the following year.
"I joined Standard One in the year 2006 and sat for KCPE in 2013 at Tisya Primary School, where I scored 317 marks. I pursued my secondary education in Nduluni High School, in Makueni County from the year 2014 to 2017," she intimated.
The student leader revealed that her young age never stopped her from speaking out, something that got her appointed to leadership roles in both primary and secondary school.
Purity admitted to not starting off her secondary education in the best way, but revealed that support from her teachers enabled her to get through high school. She passed with a B- and was selected to join university.
"Okay, in high school, I started on a very low note. My performance was not that good. I remember in the first exam, I scored a C plain. I didn't get annoyed because I knew I had the potential to do great and my teachers knew that too," she narrated.
"Tr Zainabu, Mr. Mumo, Mr Koome and our principal who was then Mr Ndivo encouraged me to study so that I get to university. So from there I switched on to studies seriously and since then, have never scored below a C+ and, in the end, I sat for my KCSE exams where I scored a B- of 55 points," she added.
Purity joined DeKUT in May 2018 and is now a third-year student, owing to the university's crash program.
She was elected vice-chairperson of the student's organisation in October 2019 which is about a year after joining the institution.
However, during nominations, Purity had no ID card, so she presented her credentials attached with a birth certificate.
"When I decided to vie, I attached my nomination papers with my birth certificate, because I had no ID. The lecturers were supportive and when I won, they wanted me to tell my story," she stated.
However, Purity revealed that she was often criticised for her young age, and at a leadership position by classmates and even members of her social groups.
"People have always criticised me, from primary, high school, even now. They ask how such a young person can order older people. Some say I am lying," she intimated.
"I have left most of the WhatsApp groups because people can't stop criticising, but I have learned to get over it. I just ignore them," she added.
In a video posted by the university featuring Purity, a section of netizens expressed doubt about her age.
Others encouraged her, insisting she owed no one an explanation for her accomplishments.
