In life, most individuals cite obstacles as the reason for failing to accomplish their goals. However, for a few like Kenyan handball referee Clara Chepkoech, challenges motive rather than defines her.
Chepkoech, who lost one of her arms in 2012 while still a student at St. Mary’s Lwak Girls Secondary School in the Nyanza region, has managed to overcome her disability to grow into one of the most respected Handball referees in Kenya.
According to Chepkoech, she filed a case after the accident and a Kisumu-based law court ruled that she be awarded Ksh1.4 million for the damages caused by the accident.
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However, she did not receive a single penny as the lawyer who was handling the case reportedly duped her.
“I learnt later, that my lawyer had received payment and from then he started playing some games with me and never communicated.
“I reported to the law society and he said he had been sick and that he wanted me to pay some extra cash Ksh70,000 to pursue the case. I have been trying to follow the case but in vain,” Chepkoech told Standard Digital.
After losing her arm, Chepkoech did not give up on the dream of becoming a top handball player. She continued being involved in the game and at the same time undertaking her studies.
Chepkoech sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2013 and managed to post good results which saw her join Mount Kenya University (MKU).
At MKU, she pursued a course in education while still being involved in handball. Clara’s commitment saw her being appointed the institution’s handball manager, a position she held until her graduation in 2016.
After completing her tertiary education, the Kiswahili tutor managed to secure a job at Chepchabas Secondary school, a Bomet County-based learning institution.
The 29-year-old was among the referees who officiated handball matches at the just concluded Kenya National Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) term two national Games staged at the Nakuru High school and she is in contention to feature at the East African Games in Arusha.
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