In the tranquil and often overlooked Sumek village, nestled within the Soin-Sigowet Sub County of Kericho County, a talented family has emerged as local champions of an exciting pastime, the Rubik’s Cube.
While this colorful, puzzle-solving intellectual challenge is rarely embraced in many corners of Kenya, the members of this small, close-knit family have not only taken to it but have also honed their skills to an extraordinary level, by themselves, with the youngest of them being a grade 1 pupil, not only in his family but also the youngest in the Rift Valley to tackle the tricky 3D combination puzzle in few minutes.
Meet Vincent Langat, a dedicated father who has ignited a passion for the Rubik’s Cube in his sons, transforming their family into a household of extraordinary young cubers.
Langat recounts the moment he first introduced the colorful puzzle to his children, expecting to share a fun challenge, to his astonishment, they quickly surpassed him in skill, mastering the intricate twists and turns of the cube with an ease he had never anticipated.
“In less than a month, my sons were already making progress in solving the tough Rubik’s cubes puzzle including the youngest, this amazed me.” Said Langat
His sons, Mark Peter a 6-year-old grade one pupil at Tulwet academy, Ian Kiprotich 12-year-old pupil at Tulwet academy and Weldon Kipngeno a 15-year-old form two students at Wangabala boys High School, quickly learnt to solve the Rubik’s cubes through observing their father.
Langat learned to play the mentally engaging indoor game at the workplace through a friend and within 3 days he mastered the game and passed on the lessons to his three sons who can now solve it within a few minutes.
“It’s always a competition in the house, now that we can comfortably solve the cubes, we find it fun and this has been beneficial to my children” added Mr. Langat
According to Langat his three sons have tremendously improved their academics, especially in mathematics, and now recommends parents to introduce their children to the indoor game this holiday season to distract them positively.
“From the time when my children started playing this game, I’ve noted an improvement in their academics because they have started to master the skill of concentration and critical thinking from the game. Said Langat.
According to the Founder of Last Mile Cube in Africa Samuel Kamau, the main aim of his foundation is to promote Rubik’s cube as a game in learning institutions saying many schools in Kericho County have embraced the indoor games which has boosted the academic performance of their learners.
Mr. Kamau was impressed that Langat’s son, Mark Peter, the 6-year-old grade 1 pupil was the youngest person in Rift Valley to confidently solve the Rubik’s cube and the only family that can tackle the cube.
“In Kenya, the awareness of this indoor game plus its benefits is still very low but I’m glad that it’s gaining momentum and more people are gaining interest in the Rubik’s cube,” stated Kamau.
According to Mr. Kamau, the Rubik’s Cube is a 3D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Erno Rubik. He disclosed that an average person takes about three hours to solve a Rubik’s Cube for the first time, but speed-cubers can solve it in as little as seven seconds.
By Kibe Mburu and Ken Kiprotich
