It was like a mirage in a desert, seemingly unreal or just a mere dream. It came closer as it transformed into building materials. That was mid-2007.

‘Do not let the water dry’ was the parting shot from the priest as we blessed the ground. The construction started in earnest the following day. By the end of the year, four classrooms were ready.

That same year in December, the interviews for the teaching and non-teaching staff were conducted. The interviews for the pupils followed immediately thereafter.

Come January 2008, Lamplighter School was born. Its birth however coincided with the Post Elections Violence. Although all the staff recruited had reported for work, most of the pupils were not able to come in due to relocation of parents. The turbulence in the county hindered the smooth start of the school. Most of the books and equipment had been ordered from Nairobi but transportation was an issue because the roads were closed. It was not until April, when things started to normalize. That was during the April school holidays.

In the start of the 2nd term, two members joined the school – that was my wife and I. Each one of us had to resign from our jobs to oversee the running of the new school. We had to make serious sacrifices. With five children in private universities and deliberate loss of earnings, the going was hard. We had to burn the midnight oil in the farm so as make ends meet. When we now look back, the double risk was worth taking. We thank God for it.

I remember as if it was just yesterday when we received the results for our very first Class 8 candidates in 2011. We were seated in the living room with my wife and children when the then Minister of Education, Hon. Prof. Sam Ongeri was reading out the names of the best performing students per county. For Trans Nzoia County, he read our Paul Wanyoike, our very own student with 428 marks!!

We all broke-out in celebration realizing we were already reflecting our school motto, Light to Excellent. He is currently in Kenyatta University pursuing a degree in Education. In that same year, we had the best girl in the county, Stephany Swango with 405 marks. She proceeded to Alliance Girls on sponsorship by G4S and is now in Germany on a government scholarship.

We thank God for the people who have stood by us all along the way. The Board Members, the teaching and non-teaching staff, the parents and the pupils. Thank you for believing in our vision.

As we celebrate the 10^th year anniversary, the challenges ahead are enormous. The technological changes, the new curriculum, the political arena and the dynamic changes that come with it. All this will shape the direction that the school will take. We all must be ready to embrace change and keep moving forward.

As management, we are ready and committed to develop the necessary infrastructure to allow the inevitable changes to take place.

God Bless You!

Mr and Mrs Director,
Joseph and Mary Keter.