Student Essay Contest in Siaya, Western Kenya

Sponsored by Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI/CDC) and supported by the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative

Students in Siaya, Western Kenya, were encouraged to participate in an essay contest. They were asked the question:

How has malaria affected your life and that of your family?

Students from primary and secondary schools submitted essays.

© KEMRI

Siaya District Hospital was one of 11 sites

in seven African countries that

participated in the RTS,S malaria vaccine

clinical trial.

A total of 15 schools participated:11 primary and 4 secondary.

© PATH/Wendy Stone

Prizes were awarded for the best essays.

© PATH/Wendy Stone

Christine Atieno

“On my way to school, I felt very dizzy and fatigued. I tried to quicken my pace…

“I told my teacher that I couldn’t do the remaining exams. I went to sleep under a tree. Immediately, my mother came and took me to the hospital. I carried my heart in my hands. When we reached the hospital, I thought that I would be admitted, but the Almighty was with me.”

Sharone Makana

“I had been affected by malaria one night when I was in primary school. I could not control myself as I was shivering and lost appetite for food. I was in a bad condition and was taken to a nearby hospital where I was given medicines that led to my recovery.

“The condition affected me academically… It led to my failure at school as my colleagues sat for their pre-mock exams.”

Samuel Odhiambo Guwa“Many years ago, my family had been affected by this disease. It was difficult for us to have our daily meals because our parents were not able to go to work as usual. Sometimes I would be absent from school due to strong fever and headaches which I felt.

“Sometimes I lost my appetite. It forced my aunt who lived near our home to help us do some of the house work. The hospital was far away from our home and we were only able to buy pain killers to slow down the strong fever and headaches we felt.”

Horpkins Omondi Okoth

“The laboratory assistant read the piece of paper from the doctor. After the test, the doctor discovered what I was suffering from.

“I was found to have a lot of malaria parasites in my blood. Soon I was given a prescription which I took to the pharmacy where I collected some tablets.”

Jeff Ochieng Wanina

“Personally, I was once affected with the disease. I grew feeble and thin almost to the point of emaciation. My state could not let me report to school. I missed a lot of classes which were taught in my absence…

“I recall in the year 2010 during the December holidays I happened to visit a sister of mine who resides in Nairobi. She was in her first trimester of pregnancy and was also affected with malaria. I tried to persuade her to go to the hospital before her condition worsened, but to no avail. My pleas fell on deaf ears… “

Newton Omollo “I suffered a severe malaria attack during a class tour for best performing students in my school. I was thrilled because it was the first time in my life to go to Kisumu and Nairobi in 2012. I suddenly felt ill, as I felt drowsy, exhausted, and every muscle in my body ached.

“We travelled to Nairobi overnight to tour the national museums. On arrival to Nairobi, my condition worsened and my class teacher called my guardian Uncle Alex to take me to the hospital. I was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital as stiff as a board…

“I stayed in hospital for three days. The bill in the private hospital (was) twelve thousand shillings. My poor mother had to work hard digging and doing small businesses to refund my uncle for the hospital bills.”

© PATH

The best student writers received trophies, textbooks, stationery, and a trip to KEMRI research facilities in Kisian.

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