Meet Young Genius Who Overcame Challenges to Study at Harvard After Scoring a High Mark for Finals
- Edwin Magema graduated from Harvard with a degree in pure mathematics, a feat that initially seemed impossible
- This is because he came from a village school in West Pokot school that had not seen a student admitted to a university in over two decades
- Magema knew he was headed for greater things when he scored an A in KCSE and received six scholarships to study abroad
At the border of West Pokot and Turkana lies Weiwei Secondary School, an all-boys institution facing challenges familiar to many remote Kenyan schools.
Source: UGC
With no access to water and only seven teachers, the school had not seen a student admitted to a university in over two decades.
How Magema beat the odds
However, against all odds, one youngster from the school defied expectations and soared to academic heights.
PAY ATTENTION: Briefly News is now on YouTube! Check out our interviews on Briefly TV Life now!
Edwin Wekesa Magema, a staunch Seventh-day Adventist, shared a grass-to-grace video about his achievements on TikTok.
He credits his success to the discipline his faith instilled in him but disclosed that it was not easy.
"I had to create a boundary, like say no to mock exams on Saturday despite the principal asking so. On Sundays, I was the only one not going to church," he said.
Which university did Magema join?
His academic prowess was evident when he scored an A in KCSE, becoming the top student in Rift Valley and ranking sixth countrywide.
Magema's achievements did not end there.
He was enrolled in the Equity Bank internship program and received six full scholarships, including offers from prestigious institutions like Yale and Harvard.
Opting for Harvard, he flew to Boston and embarked on a rigorous academic journey, studying Math, Physics, Statistics, Biochemistry, and Advanced Writing.
See his video here
What did Magema graduate with?
Despite the challenges and demands of his studies, Magema thrived at Harvard, attributing his success to the ample resources available for learning.
His academic excellence was recognized when he won a $10,000 (R184K) summer tech grant for scoring an A in an Engineering class.
It was a feat that allowed him to travel the world and broaden his horizons.
Graduating with a degree in pure mathematics, Magema returned to Kenya and began his career as a consultant in international development.
Magema's current job
However, he soon resigned to become the managing director of a fintech company, a position that allowed him to impact his community further and beyond.
After a while, he also left the fintech and spent his free time authoring a book on navigating the path to Harvard.
He and a friend recently founded Univus, a social media platform to connect individuals with similar educational backgrounds and interests.
He believes that his story offers hope for students facing similar challenges, showing that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance.
High schooler's grade 11 June exams mark amass 1.8m views
Meanwhile, Briefly News shared that a TikTok video shows a grade 11 pupil who got his examination marks after writing in June 2024. Many people were impressed by the brilliant student who did the most to nail all his schoolwork.
Netizens were blown away after seeing the marked exam scripts of the grade 11 student on TikTok.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: TUKO.co.ke
