Dr Purity Ngina is no ordinary alpha female; she beat the odds to become Kenya’s youngest professor at the age of 28 years.
She holds a Ph.D in Biomathematics which is a real wonder. She says that she was always poor in mathematics and even failed terribly when she sat for her K.C.P.E.
When she sat for her KCPE for the first time, she scored 235 marks out of 500 marks forcing her to repeat standard eight.
She then scored 369 marks and managed to earn a slot at Tumu Tumu Girls’ High School in Mathira, Nyeri County.
Dr Ngina says that life was not easy at all as she was being raised by a single mother. She decided to make a difference in her family by studying so hard.
Despite not being good in numbers in primary, she developed an affinity for mathematics and this is what has shaped her life.
When she joined Egerton University in 2009, she pursued a Bachelor of Education degree in Chemistry and Maths.
“My first year was good and I even appeared on the Dean’s list. I graduated with first-class honors. I was lucky to get a scholarship for being the best student…” she recounted to Nation.
She would later go back to Egerton for a Master’s degree and enrolled for Applied Mathematics.
“I had to apply for a Master’s program. Since money was still an issue, I asked my mum to sell some things for us to raise money for the fees. I also borrowed money to help me raise the fees and I went ahead and registered for a Master’s program in Applied Mathematics at Egerton University,” she recalls.
To make the best of her mind, she enrolled for a Ph.D at Strathmore University in Biomathematics. She also got an opportunity as a part-time assistant lecturer.
This was good for her.
Dr Ngina would then secure an opportunity with DAAD (German exchange program) to go to Germany for six months to do her research.
Today, she works at Zizi Afrique as a Research Manager.
Dr Ngina is proud of having three publication on research she has done on how to help people with HIV/AIDS.