SHOFCO

I come from a family of 6 living in the informal settlement of Kibera in Nairobi. I attended Kibera Primary School and now am a student at Koroko Secondary School. I am an active student in class and extracurricular activities. At home, we have no access to clean water, healthcare, or sanitation, and affording two meals a day is difficult. This scholarship is the only chance I have to go to school. I want to study hard to get good grades so I can join a top university, and I am very thankful for this opportunity.

"I would like to be a successful person in my future. I would like to be a doctor and assist my community. I would always like to be of assistance whenever I can. I would like to learn to assist the illiterate by building a learning place for them."

Collins comes from a family of humble means. His father works as a casual laborer and his mother is a housewife who does not earn an income. He is grateful to all the extended family members and well wishers who provided him with financial assistance to pay for his school fees and books. Collins is a motivated and hardworking student. He dreams of becoming a successful doctor, one who mentors his colleagues as well as younger children and serves as a role model for them. He also has strong public speaking skills, and wishes to use them in delivering motivational speeches to his peers.

My name is Jospeh Odhiambo Otieno. I did my primary school exams at Bar Olengo and scored 394 marks on the KCPE. I joined Tala High School which is located in Machakos county, Kenya. Tala is a good school with more than 20 teachers. The school is well organized and the teachers are friendly and teach well. I did a full test while in school and scored a B, with challenges in Physics and business studies. The scholarship program allowed me to be in school, as my parents are jobless and cannot pay school fees. For now I am at home due to the corona virus and studying here is really hard. I have a sister and we study together, but at times loud music from the neighbouring houses cannot allow one to study. I really thank God for the support and I promise to work hard to attain the best grades.

"I and my other two brothers live with our mother, who has been single for many years. My mother has always encouraged me to be of good faith despite so many challenges in our family. My head teacher has picked me from nothing and helped me manage my primary education and I hope to also touch another person with a good heart to help me go to secondary school in order to achieve my dreams. After Form 4, I aim to get an A grade on my exams that will enable me to join university. In university I would like to study well for me to become a journalist. The reason why I would like to be a journalist is that I will have an opportunity to know what is happening in daily life, especially where people undergo hardship (i.e. poverty, lack of water, children without going to school, orphans). I will be able to bring these issues to the media and good citizens will be able to see, read, and visit such people. I also have a vision to start a project that will be generating money to help all the needy children like me. "

"I am in a family of five and I am the fourth born. It has even become a problem for my mum to feed us all. I would like to prosper in my academics in order to help to lift my family out of poverty. My plan is to make sure that I will go to university, where I will pursue my academics and become one of the best engineers in the country. Engineers have always inspired me. I see myself giving back to the community and helping to lift other people's lives out of poverty."