Idrissa lives with his mother as his parents are divorced. Idrissa's father sells tomatoes and onions at the local market but his mother is jobless. Idrissa's father lives in Dar es salaam so he is unable to support Idrissa in his academic pursuits.

Elector is a total orphan who lost her father in 1997 when she was only 2 years and mother in 2006. The family was forced to disintegrate when the grandmother who took custody of them also passed on. The siblings were forced by the death of the caregiving grandmother to live with different relatives. At the moment, she is staying with an overwhelmed aunty who is merely surviving on the proceeds of peasant farming. The aunty is also taking care of five other children. Two of Elector's siblings dropped out of school for lack of school fees. Elector hopes to become an Engineer when she completes school. She is however worried that her dreams might not be realized due to lack of school fees. She also hopes to be able to support her siblings.

Mwanhawa has a special place at Ummu Salama. Orphaned at a young age, Mwanahwa lived on the streets before arriving at the orphanage where she now lives. It is not difficult for Mwanhawa to speak to adults and her peers,also she is wonderfully expressive in writing. Teachers have seen a lot of growth in Mwanhawa since she first came to Ummu Salama.mwanhawa like to share ideas with different people in the world.

Victory was born in 1995, the first born of two boys. He lives with his mother and his younger brother. His father died in 2008 of Tuberculosis. His mother sells locally brewed beer, which does not provide her with enough income for the family's daily needs causing them to live in poor conditions.