Padre excelled in primary school and was ranked number four in his class. However, with six children to take care of, his family struggles to make ends meet. There are very few resources at home and they often do not have enough food to feed their children. Since none of Padre’s older siblings had the opportunity to go to secondary school, he hopes to be the first in his family to graduate so that he can give back to his family and his community.

Shy but energetic, Naleku is determined to continue her studies. As a child, she rolled into a fire while napping and suffered from burns on her face. But, despite this incident, Naleku radiates positive energy and interacts confidently with her peers, both in the classroom and on the sports fields. Before passing away several years ago, Naleku’s father had six wives and many children. Naleku will be the first of her mother’s children to attend secondary school as her mother was unable to afford school fees for Naleku’s older brothers

A quiet leader, Papaa is initially shy but often steps up to take the initiative and motivate his peers. He is curious and calm, and his determination to continue his education is unwavering. Pappa is a natural athlete, and most enjoys playing football and dancing. To support their three children, Papaa’s father works as an accountant and his mother works as a primary school teacher.

Quiet and introspective, Sokoine's sweet smile and positive attitude make it easy for him to make friends and stand out amongst his peers. Sokoine loves studying science, and especially enjoys learning about the human nervous system. Sokoine faces many challenges at home - his father struggles with alcoholism, which makes it difficult for him to provide for the family - but Sokoine is determined to get an education so he can help his family and community.

Active and confident, Lucia is a determined young woman who is very committed to her studies. In the classroom, she is a strong listener and a thoughtful student, crafting her answers and defending her points well. Smiley and curious, she asks questions frequently and is a leader amongst her peers. Lucia hopes to become the first person in her family to complete secondary school and fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse in her community.

Having grown up with her siblings and cousins under one roof after the passing of her uncle, Sarah knows the importance of family and kindness. Sarah is confident and well-spoken, and she is always ready to lend a helping-hand to others. As a true helper and lover of Biology, Sarah hopes to continue to take care of others by becoming a nurse.

Day in and day out, Namnyak is always smiling. The oldest in a large family, Namnyak has many responsibilities beyond her studies: taking care of her younger siblings, collecting firewood, fetching water, working on the farm, cooking for her family and washing clothes are just a few. Her parents are subsistence farmers; they grow maize and beans and keep a few animals to support their family. She has to walk several hours to and from school each day as she lives in one of the farthest villages. However, Namnyak never complains about all these responsibilities! She is a engaged student, kind friend to all, and a hard worker. She loves to study biology and dreams of becoming a nurse: "I love biology because it will help me become a nurse one day. If I study cells and viruses I will know what is making someone sick, and what causes diseases. I want to become a nurse so I can help my community to be healthy." With her work ethic and caring nature, we know Namnyak will be a natural for the job.

Charming and bubbly, Nang'iday aspires to become the first person in her family to complete secondary school and become a role model for other young girls in her village, where early marriage is extremely common. Nang'iday loves studying and playing basketball with her friends after school. While her family is supportive of her education, their income from their small subsistence farm is not enough to pay schools fees for Nang'iday and her six siblings.

Ruben is a humorous and expressive young man who is eager to help and encourage others. He likes to study English and Swahili, and he hopes to use his passion for helping others by one day becoming a teacher. Ruben comes to Orkeeswa School on the weekends to play basketball with friends. His father has two wives, and works and lives in Arusha with his other wife. He comes home to see Ruben and his mother two days a week. RubenÕs mother is very supportive of him continuing his education, but lacks the means to cover his school fees.