Faith, hard work lifts Kelly to top

By MARJORIE FINKEO
NOT all students have the luxury of studying in a proper quiet environment at night, with good lighting.
Take Kelly Alodi for example. When his dad, a welder, died in 2002 when Kelly was four, the family could not afford electricity.
Since then, they have been using candles and torches.
When he started school, Kelly relied on candles and torches to study at night.
His mum Carolyn Fabian told of how hard Kelly studies and focuses on his school work.
Now 21, Kelly reaped the reward for that when he was given the director’s and dux awards during the prize-giving ceremony at the Waigani Christian College in Port Moresby.
Mum Carolyn was lost for words.
“We lost electricity in our house when Kelly’s father died of stroke in 2002. He was a welder with PNG Dockyard. Kelly was just four years old then.
I did not know that he was that smart and would collect prizes. He hardly discussed his school work with me.
Seeing him today with his achievement makes my heart cry.
Words cannot express how I feel today. I thank God for his continuous support.”
She is happy that Kelly’s hard work had paid off for him.
“I wish his dad was here to see his son’s achievement.”
Kelly is the third eldest in the family of four. The eldest sister is married. The second sister died in 2012. The youngest sister is attending Kilakila Secondary. Mum Carolyn has three granddaughters.

Mum Carolyn: “Seeing him today with his achievement makes my heart cry. Words cannot express how I feel today. I thank God for his continuous support.”M um Carolyn: “Seeing him today with his achievement makes my heart cry. Words cannot express how I feel today. I thank God for his continuous support.”

When Kelly left Kilakila Secondary in 2012 after his sister died, it was hard to re-enrol in a government school. He needed to look elsewhere.
He therefore enrolled at the Waigani Christian College to do grades 11 and 12.
He had lost two family members who mattered the most in his life – his dad and sister. He missed them. But he decided to forge ahead.
Last Friday he walked slowly and nervously to the stage to receive his prizes.
Of the 135 Grade 12 students, Kelly came first in Advanced Mathematics, Business Studies, Accounting and Computing. He came second in Economics.
He was also awarded the 2019 dux prize in the Business Studies strand, plus the director’s overall dux award.
Mum Carolyn told of how after losing their breadwinner life was hard for her family. The little she earned helped to keep them going.
Kelly spends K7 a day for his trip to school, including the bus fare from Sabama to Waigani and back.
“I pay for his torch and candle to stay up for studies. Some nights he stays up until morning then goes to school.”
The family relies on God.
“God is real. When I lose hope and face trouble, I pray and ask him to give me strength and stand through the pain. I am always happy and complete when I pray. I have enough when God is on my side.”
Kelly too has benefitted from his family’s faith and trust in the Almighty.