My name is Abdulrahman Fatuma Ali. I come from a family of three siblings and a single parent as well. Despite all the challenges, I still remained focused and worked hard in primary and managed to score a B at Stara Rescue Centre School without any hopes of joining high school. Thanks to Shining Hope for Communities for coming in and fully supporting my secondary education at Tala High School. Without forgetting where I came from, I am always focused on my education. With the support of my interest in reading to improve my academics, for I know the roots of education is bitter, but the fruit are sweet. I would like to be a teacher in the future and teach Maths & Business. I have also been touched by the work Shofco is doing with Kibera community to change the lives of people and would like to contribute to community work in future through my time and resources.

"Since we are a family of six children, it has been too difficult for my father to pay my school fees and buy uniforms. I have been getting assistance from church members up to this point. I thank almighty God that the school could provide me books, which allowed me to continue and to finish class 8. I have been brought up in a very humble background and it has been very difficult for my parents to bring daily bread into the house. My aspirations and plans is that I would like to finish high school with high marks. I would then like to join the university of my choice and pursue a degree in mass communication and be a news anchor/ presenter. Since education has no end, I would like to combine my masters and Ph.D. respectively and be a great professor in Kenya."

In our family we are seven people; father, mother my siblings and me. My father is a casual labourer and my mother is a housewife. We always survive with the little income that my father is getting. It's always challenging more so when we are sent home every now and again for school fees. Teachers have been very supportive to my side .The relatives too have been giving support but couldn't do enough. It even sometimes forces us to engage myself in casual jobs to help me support my parents. I usually feel like a parent since my parents are away working and I am looking after the other children. I work hard to keep my siblings fed. I became a star pupil after becoming no.1 in my school. I thank SUN, especially Kennedy and Jessica and Hillary, for this scholarship opportunity.

Loida lives with her parents and 4 siblings. Her family does not have much money, and her school fees, books, and her uniform have been paid through scholarships thus far. Loida's ultimate dream is to enroll in an aviation academy and be a successful commercial pilot. She would like to fly around the world in order to represent Kenya.

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.

"Where I live is not pleasing to the eyes. Coming from a family of seven, and myself being the firstborn, my family members look up to me as their future helper. It has been a very difficult task in paying school fees and for uniforms up to now. I cannot afford to buy books. When I finish my education, I would like to be a neurosurgeon. Many people suffer from problems, and there are not enough qualified doctors to treat this problem. People cannot get treated in Kenya. If I become a doctor, my parents will no longer live in the slums. I will make life heaven on Earth for them. I will also use my earning to pay school fees for my younger siblings."

I am a girl aged 13 years old, hard working and dedicated to my studies. I went to Olympic Primary School and managed to score 400 marks . I am staying with my family: father, mother and my three sisters. My father is a casual worker while my mother runs a small grocery kiosk. We live from hand to mouth due to low income from both my parents. I am a girl who believes that being poor is the state of mind and not permanent because good attitude and hard work can help change my life. While at work, my mother had her fellow group members talking about the scholarship from SHOFCO and then she helped me to apply. After confirmation that I was successful as one of the beneficiaries I am really thankful to the almighty God because He's great.

Abdi's father is the primary breadwinner in his family of six. His mother does not have a paying job. All five children attend school, and need their school fees and other expenses to be paid. Abdi was actually once chased away from school because he could not pay his school fees. Despite this, he remains an enthusiastic student with strong leadership potential. He is hardworking in his academics and studies very seriously. Abdi is also passionate about giving back to his community. He is determined to finish high school and attend university, where he dreams of pursuing medicine in order to serve those in need.

Ivin's parent's are day laborers and do not make enough money to pay her school fees. She has been able to attend school this far based on donations from a local church. She longs to continue to a higher level in school and to make her parents proud. She currently lives in a one room house with both her parents and her two siblings. She often has to go to school without eating breakfast first. She longs to finish school and improve the prospects for her family.