I come from a pastrolist community but over theyears we have had to diversify our means of income. My father works as a security person in a nearby homestead and my mother runs a small grocery shop to supplement my father's income. I am the first to attend high school in my family and it means a lot to me. I hope to inspire my younger sibling and hopefully, other girls in my community.

We are seven in my family with my parents and my four siblings. I still love my family despite all the challenges we are facing and have hope that it is only a matter of time before we live a better life again. I had even lost hope of becoming an architect since there was no one to pay for my secondary education after I had scored 392/500 mark at Spurgeons Primary School. With my strong hopes and faith knowing that my God is always above everything, I am grateful for the scholarship which is a great gift offered to my family and the helpless children in the slums. I am pursuing my secondary school education at Mbita High School and I believe that this will enable me to realize my dreams. Lastly I have remained focused on my academics, never to disappoint my family and mostly Shining Hope for Communities for I know education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.

Susan is the second-born child in a family of three. Her eldest brother is in high school. Two years back her mother was diagnosed with a heart disease that has taken toll on their meagre earnings. Their father is a casual construction worker and everything he earns goes to treating their ailing mother. Her elder brother has been out of school due to huge fees balance. Despite the family challenges, Susan has kept her dream alive. She has constantly worked hard in school and her dream is to become a doctor so as to help people like her mother. She believes in Nelson Mandela's quote that education is the greatest weapon that one can use to change the world.

Her parents are poor and separated. Brenda lives with her grandmother, but her brother and sisters live elsewhere with their grandfather. She hopes to become a teacher someday.

Family struggles with poverty, they are jobless, cannot afford any fees for the children

Bravin is a child who has gone through many challenges. As an orphan and living with his grandmother in the slums, Bravin could not withstand sleeping hungry for days and he ended up in the streets foraging for food in the dustbins. In the streets he was introduced to drugs by other street boys. It was while in streets a good Samaritan took him to a rehabilitation center where he changed and was enrolled back to school. Bravin is the third-born child in a family of eight. He actually doesn’t know where most of his siblings are currently. He is currently living with his cousin who is jobless. Though faced with many challenges, Bravin has kept his focus. He managed to be the best student in his school. His goal is to become a neuro-surgeon in the future. He believes that education is the key to success.

Separated family, Mother is jobless and homeless.

I live with both of my parents and they own a small piece of land which we till and the produce helps sustain the family. This is usua;lly not enough most of the time and we supplement it by my parents doing some other menial jobs as casual labourers. At times we had to interrupt our studies to help out our parents. I love playing soccer.

I went through primary education at Olympic Primary School where I got 335 marks. In our family we are six people; Mother, three brothers, one sister and me. My mother separated with my father when I was a young girl. Life has been so hard for the family, more so to my mother who is operating a small tailoring kiosk for our daily bread. Sometimes it forces my mother to get support from chamas (women groups, that practice savings and loaning). Due to this, I have been working so hard on my academics at Bishop Okoth Mbaga Girls School and in drama club, which I am sure will one day turn my dreams of becoming a doctor true. I therefore believe that my long life goal will be achieved. My aspiration of being a doctor motivates me to work hard and I also get motivation from my mother who struggles to make ends meet for our family. I will forever remain grateful to Shofco and donors for the scholarship opportunity. This is going to change not only my life, but also my family as a whole.