When news broke on 4th of August 2015 that Kenya had bagged 42 medals, Kenyans were not only excited but they felt a sense of belonging.
Three years later it is sad note that an athlete who raised the Kenyan flag high on this occasion is now languishing in poverty. Susan Gatwiri who was only in class 8 took home two gold medals in 3000M and 5000M races.
Gatwiri also bagged SOYA awards as the sport woman of the year in the same year. Despite all this accolades she never proceeded to high school and she is now working as nanny to make end meets.
Susan Gatwiri poses with her medals. [Source/FieldMarshall Mwaura]
Gatwiri said she was supposed to receive a prize money of Sh3.5 million after her great performance in the the games but as we speak she only received Sh70,000.
Her employer who has sought anonymity shared the sad details of Susan Gatwiri to one Facebook user FieldMarshall Newton Mwaura.
Here is Gatwiri's sad story by her employer:
"Yesterday was having a talk with my good nanny and I realized that this young lady represented the country in 2015 special Olympics where she bagged two gold medals and the SOYA Awards sportswoman.
She was in class 8 then I saw the photos and couldn't believe it still. So i went to SOYA awards 2015 and special Olympics Los Angeles 2015 her name was there on (number 8).
The sad bit is that sad the government only gave her Sh70, 000 yet she was supposed to receive Sh3.5 million which she tells me (Alinunulia mama yake TV na viti angalau when people from the ministry wakienda kwao wapate pa kukaa.)
She now has to work for me, earn peanuts to support her siblings who are in high school, her ailing mum and her two year old son. I feel so bad that she is struggling four years later for being a patriotic citizen who did her duty well. I am very sad and perturbed. And I just pray she could get help. She is a very good lady."
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