Kenya Education Fund

Lavender is the only child. However, her parents support three of her cousins who are orphans. The first is Samson and he is in class 8 at Spurgeons academy, Stephen is in class 7 at Ayany primary and Moses is in class 6 also at Ayany primary. Lavender's mother works as a cook at Spurgeons primary and her father is self employed and works as a tailor. She is a confident girl. Something she has worked on for a very long time since it would her in a dream career. She would like to be a Lawyer in future so that she would be able to fight for the rights of the disadvantaged. Since she joined high school, Lavender has maintained impressive grades. She remains focused towards achieving her dream.

I am the first born of five children. We live with our mother who is unemployed. We get support from a relative who works as a security guard with one of the local security firms. He has his own family and this usually forces my mom to look for other odd jobs to supplement. i am in love with my books. I want to gain knowledge to help my younger siblings. They look up to me for inspiration and I would not wish to disappoint them. I also hope to influence my community in a positive way"

Eugene lives with his aunt who sells French fries as a means of survival. His father died when he was young and his mother remarried but due to cultural restrictions, she was unable to take Eugene with her. This forced him to live with his aunt who has struggled to pay for his school fees. Eugene's aunt is very passionate about education and despite her meager income she goes out of her way to ensure all the children under her care get a better education. Eugene loves sports and has a strong affinity for computers. He aspires to be an expert in computers. However, the situation at home keeps dimming this bright dream.

I am the last born of six children. We used to do well some time back. This suddenly changed when my mother and older sister lost their jobs, thanks to a sudden sickness that struck both of them at the same time. It was so harsh. My older brother was left with a huge burden of taking care of us. Given his level of education, he is not able to secure meaningful employment. Things have been rough since. One of the major concerns for me is my education. It is one the things I hold so dearly. I want the best for my family and this can only come with someone effecting a change and I believe that person might as well be me. The opportunity to join high school is a big step towards making this dream a reality.

Am the only child under the care of my single mother. Both of us live in my grandmother's house. My mother does casual labor which helps in sustaining our family. I love her dedication and zeal to ensure that we get the best. However, she is sometimes overwhelmed but this never kills her spirit. I am so fond of her. I am talented academically and I also love performing arts. In 2014, I represented my school at the national level of drama competition. This gave me a chance to perform for the president at State House. It is one of those moments I revere.

I am the only child of a single mother. She works as a casual laborer and this helps in putting food on our table. Secondary education in Kenya is very expensive and this would require extra source of income which is not available at the moment. We live in the slums of Kibera. This is the largest slum in Kenya and poverty rate is very high. I work hard in school with one ultimate goal, to break the cycle of poverty. They say education is the best way and I believe in this philosophy.