SHOFCO

"I have been able to get through school to this point with the assistance of my uncle...Someday I would like to have a company which deals in making electronics. I would like to go abroad and play football and draw."

I live in the Kibera slums in a village known as Gatwekera. I have seven siblings and live with both parents. My favorite subjects are science, social studies and Math because they engage me and help in critical thinking. I love going for runs and exercising to be fit. I am hoping to be a professional athlete so that I can compete in long distance races and win medals and be an example to young people who are afraid to take up challenges.

"My ambition in the future is to get good grades throughout my high school career. I want to join a campus and study as a cardiologist. I would like to get a job at one of the biggest hospitals in Kenya and also be traveling from place to place treating people with heart problems. In 10 years to come I would like to find myself flying from place to place treating people. My inspiration is to help the poor and educate the children who can't help themselves in which I can form an organization that helps to sponsor those who are in need. I will also not forget these people who helped me go to school. I will help them in any way I can. My personal goal is to help my parents move to a better place and to buy them some of the things that they will want in the years to come."

Joanrose dreams of studying medicine in order to help people suffering from deadly diseases. She would also like to fight against drug abuses and prostitution in her neighborhood. She is worried about the influence of drugs on young people in her neighborhood and she wants to combat drug use in order to make her community stronger. Her parents are very sick and this makes it difficult for them to pay her school fees. It is also difficult on her psychologically. She feels that if she gets an education she will be better able to take care of her parents and improve her own future.

My name is Damallyne Merrine Apoda and I attend Othaya Girls High School. I previously scored 375 marks on the KCPE from Anajali Primary School. The environment in high school was completely different and I was really challenged during the first week. It was too cold to manage, as time went by I started managing it so well. I also got new friends and the teachers there are very friendly. I also had problems with time keeping. Attending school the school was difficult, as there were no school fees and my parents were stranded. I really thank God for the scholarship program. I joined a very good school and my dreams of getting good grades are still alive. My prayers are for things to get back to normal and place my efforts on studies.

"My aunt has been helping by buying my books since my mother died...In the future I would like to be a doctor so that I can help my family out of this poverty and also help our community against all the crimes. I want to help us to have good health services. Through becoming successful in education I will be able to help my society and support them. In the years to come I am hoping to be working as a doctor. I will be saving lives and use it to help my family and community at large."