SHOFCO

"In our house, we lacked food and clothes. Sometimes I share clothes with my cousin. I rarely got anything to eat at home and sometimes it made it hard to concentrate in class. Sometimes my mom is able to make enough money washing clothes for us to eat but not always. My future plans and aspirations is that I would like to be a surgeon. My second plan is to help girl children in the community. In 10 years I would like to be in the United Kingdom helping Kenyan people with medical problems and doing research. I would also like to help street children."

Sawe excels in math and science and loves to learn. She is currently interested in learning computer programming. She wants to go on to university so that she can have a better life. Sawe has 3 younger sisters who were born at the same time (triplets). Since triplets were unexpected, her mother had to have a C-section and the family is still paying off the medical bills. Although she loves her sisters, her parents did not expect to have so many children and they are struggling to improve their standard of living. Her parents are both unemployed and take on various short term jobs when they can.

I have five siblings - one brother and four sisters. Subjects I love are Math and science as they do help me solve problems in real life. Learning math and solving problems is part of the many things that make me happy since when I get to teach others who might not understand when new things are taught I do get to learn again in the process. My hobby is drawing, this is what I enjoy doing when I am free. I do look forward to becoming an engineer when I grow up so as to make new designs of buildings and other things.

Ilcy plans to do well academically and she wants to eventually own her own business and employ other people in her community in order to help with the unemployment rate. She has two sisters and lives with her parents, but her parents struggle to make ends meet. Her parents are also charitable, and despite their own economic problems they take care of 3 orphans. Ilcy is driven to succeed and hopes to attend Kenyatta University after graduating secondary school.

"I come from a humble background of two parents, one sister, and one brother. We live in a single room house in Kibera. My current life situation is not so pleasing because my parents are casual workers and we live hand to mouth without enough food to eat or even good clothes to wear. Someday I would like to join the university at Nairobi and pursue a medical degree. I would like to be a doctor and treat people who cannot access medical help. I would like to help my parents by building them a big house and get them out of poverty. I would also like to help children from my slum who cannot afford school fees and their daily basic needs. My other aspiration is to be an ambassador for peace in the Kibera slums."

I attended Cheryl's Watoto Learning Center and now am in high school at Kijabe Girls School in Kiambu County, Kenya. We did not have school fees and my parents wondered if I could join the school. I am so thankful for the scholarship because otherwise I would not be in school. I am working hard to be a better person in the future and provide for my parents and my two brothers. I am so grateful for this opportunity.