Faith is the first-born child in a family of three. She has the passion to be a lawyer and wants to help execute justice among her people and especially the poor in the community. While in school Faith underwent many challenges like being sent home due to lack of payment of school fees, lack of school uniform and lack of kerosene to study at night. However Faith remained determined to achieve good grades. She resulted to be waking up at the crack of dawn each day to go to school before any other student arrived. Once at school she would get out her desk from the classroom since it was still dark and work on her homework. She was fortunate that a few months before she sat for her final exams, a neighbor helped her with kerosene and she was able to study each night until 11.00 pm. She is grateful that some students helped her with pens and pencils and her teachers were very supportive. Despite these challenges, Faith performance in the primary school leaving exam was among the best in her school. She believes that hard work never goes unrewarded.

Bredah is an outgoing girl who is determined to excel in life despite all odds. She is the third born child in a family of six. Her parents are poor and only does casual jobs to cater for their big family. In school Bredah would get ridiculed by fellow students since her uniform was torn and her parents could not afford to buy her a new one. Despite missing many school days due to school levies, Bredah worked tirelessly to emerge among the best students in her school. Her dream is to become a nurse in future to help many patients who suffer in hospitals due to lack of good care. Bredah believes that hard work never goes unrewarded.

She stays with her grandparents, who live in poverty.

Helena was born in Sofala province. She is a very quiet girl, humble and friendly. In her free time after school, she is doing her homework and likes to play with her friends. She is orphaned of parents since she was little and then moved in with her grandmother, who took care of her until she was of school age, then ASEM helped her to attend school. In 2013, when she was 12 years old, her Granny died and she stayed living in the house together with her 18 years old cousin. For sustenance, her uncle, when able to, helps the 2 girls. The uncle has a wife with six children, and no permanent job. When the 2 girls have nothing to eat, the neighbors sometimes help them.

Alex is the second born child in a family of five. His eldest sister dropped out of school due to lack of money for school fees. Alex used to finish his household chores before sunset to utilize the light of the day to finish his homework since he lacked an oil lamp. His room for studying was the kitchen and in many times he would light a fire to complete his assignments. Although he didn't always have money to pay for the primary school fees his teacher knew he was bright and allowed Alex to remain in school. All these challenges did not pull Alex down but he worked hard and emerged the best in his school for KCPEE results.

Lilian's father works as a sugarcane cutter. Her older brother is in High School and his school fees are pair by her uncle. The rest of Lilian's siblings are in primary school where her parents struggle to raise the fees required at the school. In Primary school Lilian had attendance problems as she was regularly sent home because she couldn't afford the fees She also regularly ate only one or two meals per day. Now she does not need to worry about being sent home or missing meals. The only thing that is on her mind is working hard so she can achieve the grade required to study medicine and become a doctor. "Wema can uplift the lowly and give them fair education field to make them someday be able to help more of the disadvantaged." -Lilian.

Maxmilla's mother is a hawker selling bananas, which is the only means she has of catering for the family of 8. Her family was not able to always provide her the fees in primary school, so she was often home while her friends were studying. At home, meals were rare and she often had to do with one meal per day. Now that she has a scholarship, she gets three meals a day, a luxury she had never thought of before. She aspires to achieve a good grade in high school so that she can study medicine. "I am grateful to Wema and I pray that God enables Wema to reach out further and touch more lives." -Maxmilla.

Mwende is a very brilliant girl who has the ambition of becoming a neurosurgeon in future. She is the third born child in a family of four. Her parents are unemployed and cannot afford to pay her school fees. During her primary level, Mwende was constantly sent home for lack of school levies. Despite the many challenges, she emerged among the top in her class. ÊFor Mwende education is the only door to a bright future.Ê

The family is totally poor, a jobless father who cannot afford fees and other basic needs for the family.