Purity Ngina is a testimony to Jim George's popular quote: "It's not how you start that's important, but how you finish."
Many people consider giving up when they face shaky starts, but for Ngina, that was not an option, and it has paid off in the long run.
When she first did her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams in 2002, Ngina scored 235 marks and faced the difficult decision of what to do next.
She talked with her mother and decided to resit her KCPE exams in 2003. This proved to be a game-changer in her life, as she eventually scored 369 marks and earned a place at Tumu Tumu Girls in Karatina, Nyeri County.
Coming from a humble background, high school was a tough experience for her since her mother had to work extremely hard to afford her school fees and other necessities.
The deficiencies they had in the family pushed her to study hard, a move that saw her attain a grade B+ in KCSE, earning her a place at Egerton University for a Bachelor of Education Degree in Science, Maths, and Chemistry.
She did not relent on campus and graduated with First-Class honours. She then enrolled for a Master's in Applied Mathematics at the same university and graduated in 2015.
Keen to attain the highest level of education, she explored avenues of pursuing a doctorate and ended up at Strathmore, where she enrolled for a PhD in Biomathematics.
Ngina was privileged to be employed as an assistant lecturer while undertaking her PhD. At the same time, she was selected for a six-month exchange program in Germany, where she did part of her research.
Unfortunately, her mum passed away while she was pursuing her PhD.
In 2018, she graduated with a PhD in Biomathematics at the age of 28, thus making her the youngest Kenyan to achieve that fete.
In a past interview, Ngina revealed that she's dedicated some of her time to visiting schools and encouraging young girls to pursue courses in sciences, mathematics, and technology, despite the belief that these courses are for men.
In 2020, she took up a Research Manager job at Zizi Afrique, a company that promotes equity in education and makes it accessible to all.
She held the role until July 2024, when she was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Gender and Equality Commission.
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Speaking during Ngina's inauguration, Chief Justice Martha Koome appreciated her efforts to promote education for young people.
"As a believer in the capability of young people myself, I'm excited that the Commission has seen it fit to appoint a young competent person to be the driver of its programmes and work," the CJ said.
