Aware of being required to go to school, Paul Ethabo a grade 3 pupil at Nadapal Primary School evaded the arms of the camera. When his sister Jecintah Akutha received sponsorship from CRF, her sponsor extended a helping hand to put Paul Ethabo through school. At the time, Paul was not attending school having being made to take care of goats by his parents.
In Turkana, goat rearing remains a major activity that the locals value with many leaving their school-going children to do the work. In the community, education is given minimal priority with many parents viewing going to school as a waste of time. Paul Ethabo’s parent being among those that view education as a burden, Ethabo came up with a strategy to avoid his picture from being taken by our field worker.
According to Ekiru, our field worker in Turkana, every time he went looking for Paul, the boy would run away into the bushes. Ekiru resorted to using a motorcycle to navigate Nadapal in search of the boy. Each time he visited his home, Paul would run away from home with the aid of his parents. At some point, Ekiru was attacked by bees in the process of chasing the boy in the bushes. You see, Paul had been advised to keep running away a concept that prompted him to devise other strategies like covering his head with sand to make it impossible for Ekiru to take his picture.
Paul Ethabo in the first row from the far left with fellow classmates
The sound of the motorcycle in the village could easily tick and Paul would hurriedly begin his mischief leaving Ekiru with no option but to leave. Finally, after three weeks the boy agreed to have his photograph taken an aspect that made him get a sponsor after several attempts of playing cat and mouse with the camera. At the time of speaking with the boy, his performance in school was exemplary with teachers referring to him as the best example for CRF kids in the school. Apart from receiving education, the gifts that Paul received have made his parents embrace education with the hope that Paul will one day eradicate poverty in the family.
Blessings that came in disguise are celebrated today in the Nadapal community through the sponsorship of Paul Ethabo. The family enjoys the monthly food gifts with Paul’s aspirations of becoming the best student in Turkana County being fulfilled each day.
