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.

Anghelo has a lot of determination to succeed at whatever he does. He has begun to play the guitar, and practices for two hours every day. He also sings in the school choir. Apart from music, he is keen on mathematics and would one day like to become an accountant. He is close to his immediate family and likes to spend the weekend playing with his cousin.

Crispus is the second born child in a family of two. His mother is single and lost her employment last year. Without formal employment the burden of taking care of her two children has become a challenge. She currently relies on well-wishers to support her daughterÕs secondary education. Despite many challenges he faced, Crispus emerged the best student in his school and his dream is to become a civil engineer to help solve the problem of dilapidated roads in his village and across the country.Ê

Edna is second born child in a family of three. She stays with her grandmother who has taken up the responsibility of caring for her. Her mother is single and jobless. Edna’s elder sister dropped out of school in form two due to lack of school fees. Edna’s journey to success in primary school was not without challenges. She woke up at the crack of dawn each morning and walked about 2 kilometers to school. Sometimes she went to school without any breakfast. Other times she arrived to school late and had to take a punishment but that did not make her to give up. She remained determined and worked hard to attain good grades. Edna emerged the best student by scoring 396 marks out of 500 at her school. She believes that determination knows no barrier.

I am from a humble family with both parents. My current life situation has been challenging, since I am depending on my parents and friends for help in my study. Sometimes getting food to put on the table has been a problem for my parents. Despite all these challenges I have remained focused on my school work. When I got the opportunity to be one of the scholars of Shofco Urban Network, I was very happy and my dreams of becoming a better person in life and helping my parents in the future.

Father died. Mother remarried. Children abandoned to grandmother.

Luis lives with his mother, an older sister and two younger siblings. They live in a house with two rooms, a kitchen and bathroom. Their only income is his mother's irregular, low income. Luis is very keen on science and in his spare time likes to learn more about about it. At the moment, he is undecided whether a career as a doctor or as a mechanic attracts him most.

George's mum sells vegetables by the roadside to earn a living. He has two brothers and three sisters. His family is poor and would not have been able to cater for his high school fees. In primary school, he never had shoes and would go on one meal per day. He however struggled through thick and thin and received an excellent score on his primary school exams. He intends to become computer literate through utilizing the lab at wema. He also intends to acquire real life skills and above all score a grade A in his final examination.

Neelam is a quite and shy child who is very considerate towards her friends and to those younger than her. She has a strong desire to prove herself and this is reflected in the hard work that she puts into her studies. Someday she hopes to become a teacher.

Sheilla’s father passed away and she does not know where her mother is. She and her three siblings live with her unemployed grandmother. She loves reading books and wants to be a journalist one day.

Brenda’s parents are unemployed and struggle to support her grandmother, six siblings, and her. She loves math and science and hopes to become a doctor someday

Parents are poor. Not able to pay fees.

Shubhash Gupta is a smart boy who focuses on his studies. He likes playing outdoor games to keep himself fit and healthy and likes to read story books. He lives with his 3 siblings in his house along with his grand parents. Shubhash's favorite class is science and someday he hopes to become a doctor.

Joseph is the second born child in a family of five. His elder brother dropped out of school due to lack of school fees. Since the passing on of his father, Joseph and his siblings have been staying with their mother who has taken over the responsibility of providing for her children. Though determined to make sure that her sons get the best, her health condition has affected her and can rarely manage to do manual work. After the death of their father, the extended family drove them out of their ancestral land. The family is currently living in a rented house in Wamunyu. Joseph is determined to change their family in future. He believes that hard work pays and in future he dreams of becoming a doctor, first to treat his mother and then other people in the society.Ê