Virginia is the first-born child in a family of four. Her father is a casual laborer while her mother is a housewife. After doing her final exam in 2015 and scoring well, Virginia could not join secondary school since her parents could not afford the fees. Her parents wanted her to get employed as house help. Her hopes of becoming a doctor and help people in need was diminishing. She decided to repeat grade eight and she emerged the best in her school. Her success was not without challenges. She lacked kerosene to study at night and could only use her daytime to study. Most of the time she was sent home due to lack of payment for school levies. Virginia is outgoing and determined to go against all odds to achieve her dreams.

Virginia is the first-born child in a family of four. Her father is a casual laborer while her mother is a housewife. After doing her final exam in 2015 and scoring well, Virginia could not join secondary school since her parents could not afford the fees. Her parents wanted her to get employed as house help. Her hopes of becoming a doctor and help people in need was diminishing. She decided to repeat grade eight and she emerged the best in her school. Her success was not without challenges. She lacked kerosene to study at night and could only use her daytime to study. Most of the time she was sent home due to lack of payment for school levies. Virginia is outgoing and determined to go against all odds to achieve her dreams.

"I believe that one day my dream of becoming a nurse will come to be true. What I like of nursing is that it involves caring and also being friendly since I am so friendly and I always love caring for others. I believe that I will make it in life. Since I am a hard-working girl, and with the grace of the Almighty God when I shall go on with my education and manage to prosper." Mercy has faced financial difficulties and has sometimes been sent home from school during primary school when her parents could not pay the fees. "What I like is that even through the hardship we are still united and we are happy. What I believe is that it doesn't matter the hardship, where you come from, what you do, but what is important is where you are heading to. I believe that through my studies I will be able to succeed in life."

Rabecca writes: "My name is Rabecca Nyirenda, I am a girl aged 15 years and I have three brothers and two sisters. My parents died when I was in grade three. I left my family in Livingstone and they live their own lives. My uncle collected me so that I can continue my education. Beside me, he is sponsoring his own children and he is retiring this year on 24th of October. Thus there will be no one to sponsor me and will be forced to drop out of school. I need this scholarship because I want to complete my education and be educated so that I can help my family and others that are in need like my fellow orphans and street children's. As I earlier mentioned right now my family they are not learning because there is no one to help them or take them to school. But for the love of God I am learning now. My aim is that I have a better future and work hard in my studies so that I can be someone in future and continue thanking god for what he is doing for me. I would like to say thank you for what you are doing for me and I promise that one day I will be like you helping people who are poor, may god bless you and continue doing the same thing to others."