Thirty-two students, four teachers and one principal form Brooklynn High School. All members of this school community share one unifying connection. What constitutes the school building are structures dotting a small plot of land. What hits a visitor instantly on meeting and interacting with this small school community is their spirit. You can dispossess a human being of material, but you cannot dispossess them of their spirit. Dagoretti, a constituency covering an area of 39km2, is primarilya low-income community. Just like in many low-income urban areas, access to education is still a problem. Although free schooling programme succeeded in bringing nearly a million new students to school, more than a million school-going age children in urban slums are not in schools.

Justus Ngotho, indeed, has given direction on what can be done to salvage the disparate situation for the deprived people of Dagoretti. He belongs to a class of brave, self-sacrificing and resolute young people who can audaciously wrap their hands around colossal tasks. At the age of 28, Ngotho has proved the ability of the young people in this country to rise to the occasion, and with limited resources forge ahead in order to bring change to the people around them. Ngotho is the founding principal of Brooklyn High, a low cost school in Ruthimitu at Dagoretti Corner.

Ngotho radiates a warm smile as he goes on to explain the thrust that propelled him to start the school. His humble background is the major force behind his desire to set up a school for the needy. While growing up, Justus was often forced by the social state of affairs to do casual labour. Despite the fact that he was too young, he would fetch water for people or collect firewood for sale.

His father deserted the family leaving his wife to take care of the children single-handedly. At age 11, Justus dropped out of school in order to work to support his mother and sisters. He got a job as a herds boy earning a paltry ksh250 per month. A year later, his head teacher at Kyuso primary school intervened and Justus went back to school. He scored 490 marks out of a possible 700 in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).
After his primary education he searched for his absentee father.

He wanted him to pay for his secondary school fees; his mother was unable to afford it. He found his father and they lived together for sometime. He was unable to feed him. He often slept hungry. His father could not bear this; he left for good.

His saving grace came in form of Pastor Enos Ouma who runs the Dagoretti corner rehabilitation centre (DCRC). Pastor Ouma offered to educate him. Justus enrolled at the Kenya College and secondary school on Accra Road in 1996. He then transferred to Ruthimitu High School where he sat for KCSE and scored a C+.

Justus got a job with Lonrho motors as a messenger but the company went under receivership in 2003 rendering him jobless. “I made some money taking photographs with a camera I bought earlier. I had trained myself as a graphic designer something that enabled me to print campaign materials for political aspirants for Emuhaya and Kisumu rural during the 2007 general elections.” This he says brought in good money. He felt a great urge to start a school, which could cater for the less fortunate unable to afford the cost of secondary education.

Brooklyn High School in Gachui at Dagoretti market opened its doors for students a year ago. Currently it has 32 students in Forms 1 and 2. The students pay kshs 900 a month for the running the school. One of his younger sisters is a Form one student at the school where he also doubles as an English teacher.

“We have only four teachers who are volunteers but we share the little that is left after we meet all the school expenses. The performance is good because the teachers are very committed, for instance, last year’s Form One class had more than half of the students scoring C and above. We know the family background of each student and we treat them with understanding. There is a girl who came from an academy in Kikuyu and didn’t know how to read, but today she is one of the top performers. These children deserve every opportunity to prove their worth to the world. My dream is that in ten years I should have built a huge educational complex with boarding facilities, and labs for over 1000 needy and neglected children in this country.”

As Education Insight interviewed the principal, two teachers joined us in the office after completing their morning lessons. One of the teachers, Anthony Ngugi who teaches chemistry, history and CRE, said “I work here as a volunteer, everyday I see myself in each one of these students, I can relate their stories to mine. I come from a needy background, was formerly at Kikuyu High School where I got a B plain in my KCSE exams. I would like this place to inspire other young people.” Justus is not only a principal here, but a role model to his students.

Peter Kamau teaches math and physics at the school. He says his first year was a challenge because there were no students. However, Justus was patient and kept them motivated. Kamau is a BA Economics graduate of Maseno university.

“The government should consider those students who cannot afford to pay fees at all. A different policy should be enacted for students such as these. Our education system needs a complete overhaul - I desire to see a situation where you can put what you learn into practice. Free education should mean something to those who lack resources; we should have the needy assisted, that’s the only way we can move ahead,” Justus vehemently says.

The biggest challenge at Dagoretti are firstly, the Kichinjio (slaughter house) at the market place that is a distraction to the students; secondly, the family breakdown. According to Justus, once the youth leave school they only think about one thing and that’s working at the Kichinjio.

My greatest inspiration comes from God, secondly my mother Joyce Ndululu who is the best thing that ever happened to me, her strength and perseverance is a great gift to me. Am also inspired by Microsoft’s Bill Gates,” says Justus.

THIS WAS PUBLISHED BY A KENYAN MAGAZINE CALLED, EDUCATION INSIGHT IN 2009. GOD HAS BLESSED US SO MUCH AND I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. YOU CAN CONTACT ME ON +254722452336

FORM ONE ADMISSION 2010

Admission for form one and two is still going on. We have so far admitted 50 form ones and we hope to admit more before then end of the year. In the mean time, we are looking for a bigger compound where we can accommodate more students as well as have fields for games, if you know of any place, at least three acres, near a main road, you can call me on +254 722452336. God bless you and thank you for your prayers and good wishes.