Class of 2014

Name: Ardelia M.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Ardelia is thirteen years old and lives with her mother and grandmother who are both ill. When she feels strong, her mother helps to support the family with casual labor but most of what she earns goes toward food and medicine. According to her teacher, Ardelia is a highly disciplined and determined student with a lot of potential. She ranked 8th out of 84 students in her eighth grade class.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 330

Ardelia's dream is to continue her education and become a doctor so she can help people like her mother and grandmother get well.

Name: Austine O.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Austine comes from a very poor family that cannot afford to send him to high school. But, Austine is a very bright student and has done well academically. He ranked second in a class of 46 students in eighth grade and scored very well on the national KCPE exam. He also enjoys sports, especially soccer.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 383

Austine dreams about continuing his education and with financial assistance, he should do very well in high school.

Name: Bahati K.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: When Bahati's father died ten years ago, her mother abandoned the family. Bahati and her two siblings live with their grandparents. Her grandparents are poor and cannot afford to pay school fees for Bahati.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 342

Bahati's headmaster says that she is "academically very good." Bahati ranked 6th out of 73 students in her eighth grade class.

Name: Bonface O.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Bonface is an orphan. His father passed in 2001 and his mother in 2005. He lives with his 4 siblings at a guardian's house who cannot afford to send Bonface to secondary school. Bonface dreams about going to a boarding school so he can concentrate on his studies instead of on all the work at home.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 348

Bonface's headmaster states that Bonface is "hardworking and academically capable." In his Form 8 class of 26 students, Bonface ranked first.

Name: Branson T.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Branson's father passed away when Branson was a small child, and his mother relies on odd jobs to support her family. Branson is well behaved and highly disciplined, according to his teacher, with a promising future if he can continue his education.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 349

In his application, Branson says that if he receives a scholarship, "I would be very happy that you will help me. I will work extra hard and better my future and also assist my mother from languishing in poverty." Education is a first step for his family to break the cycle of poverty.

Name: Brenda N.
Gender: Female
School: Moi Girls School, Isinya,, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Brenda is 15 years old and is in her second year of high school in the Rift Valley, Kenya. She is a strong student and wants to study science and find a cure for AIDS. Her father died when she was two years old and her mother is a vegetable seller. Brenda is bright and motivated. Her primary school head says that, "Brenda is a girl of a very pleasant character, loved by all and gifted in music." Brenda's first year of high school was funded by a one-year sponsor and money for her second and third years were raised through Facebook Causes. Watch Brenda talk about her dreams.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 343

Brenda's teacher says that, "Brenda is a girl of a very pleasant character, loved by all and gifted in music."

Name: Brian Om.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Brian lives with his mother who is in poor health and has been in and out of the hospital. When she is well enough, his mother works as a bartender to support herself and Brian but they have no support from extended family and cannot afford to send Brian to high school. Brian's minister says that he is bright and talented and highly recommends him for a scholarship.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 352

Brian wants to go to get a good education and "pay back his mother for all the sacrifices she has made for me."

Name: Brian Ot.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Brian is an orphan and lives with his aging grandmother who supports their basic needs by selling nuts in a market. Brian struggled in school when his parents died. With his grandmother's care and encouragement, he was able to refocus on his studies and placed second out of eighty-four students in his Form 8 class.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 405

Brian's minister says that Brian is an innovative, creative and active member of the youth group and has the traits of a true leader. With assistance, Brian can reach his dream of becoming an engineer to help build his nation of Kenya.

Name: Caleb N.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, EFAC start date 1/11

Student's Background: Caleb is 19 years old and is the middle child in a family with 9 children. To provide for their large family, his father works as a security guard and his mother farms a small plot of land. Caleb was able to raise enough money to start his first year of high school at Rongai Boys School but was sent home at the end of the year for lack of fees. With primary school fees for 4 younger children, his father cannot afford secondary school fees for Caleb. With an EFAC scholarship, Caleb was able to return to Rongai Boys School in his sophomore year. At Rongai, he is first in his class of 111 students and is doing particularly well in Agriculture, Biology and History. Each student at Rongai has a job, and Caleb enjoys his job taking care of the kale, tomatoes and onions in the school garden. We are looking for a 2-year sponsor for Caleb.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE):

Name: Candy E.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Candy's parents divorced when Candy was very young and Candy does not know her father. Her mother has diabetes and does not work outside the home. The family relies on income from tenants on their land but it is not enough to cover school fees. Candy's grandmother sent Candy to school when she was working but she was forced to retire. Candy ranked third out of 66 students in her eighth grade class.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 373

Candy: "I will really appreciate your help to me. My life is not at a safe place right now. I don't know whether I will proceed with education because of the shortage of fund from my parent."

Name: Catherine M.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Catherine's parents passed away when Catherine was very young. Her uncle helped Catherine and her brother attend primary school but he has his own family to support and cannot afford to send Catherine to high school. Catherine's eldest sister was not able to go to high school and was married at a young age. Catherine's teacher tells us that Catherine is a very hardworking girl and that she wants to get an education so she can help her siblings.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 372

Catherine: "I am determined to lead a better life in future. I want to make my dreams come true or being a judge. I don't only want to be a judge, but an integrity woman, but how is it possible? It is only by you people, whose hearts flourish with love, mercy and kindness."

Name: Charity W.
Gender: Female
School: Moi Girls School, Isinya,, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Both of Charity's parents died when Charity was young. She depends on her siblings for support. Her dream is to become a journalist but without a scholarship, she will not be able to continue her education. Her minister says that she displays strong leadership qualities, and she is hard working. She ranked fourth out of forty students in her eighth grade class.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 339

Charity: "I promise to work hard and put more effort in all my endeavors and hope my dream will come true. I like venturing in projects and I am an active member of drama club. I am a self-motivated student."

Name: Collins O.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Collins has four siblings and lives with his mother and father. His father is a cobbler and his mother sells vegetables. His father has struggled to pay for primary school fees for Collins and his siblings, and he cannot afford high school fees for Collins. Without financial assistance, Collins will stay home. Collins' dream is to go to high school so so he can help support his siblings in the future.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 387

Collin's teacher says that Collin is "humble, hard-working and a respectful boy." Collins ranked first out of 65 students in his eighth grade class.

Name: Cynthia N.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Cynthia is an only child and is fourteen years old. Her mother was a pollination manager but passed away two years ago. She does not know her father, so she stays with her aunt.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 387

Name: Derrick W.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Derrick is fifteen years old and lives with his mother and sister. His mother is ill and most of their income goes toward food and medicine. His father abandoned the family when Derrick was very young. In spite of these challenges, Derrick has done well in school and ranked fourth out of 124 students in his eighth grade
and scored over 400 on the national KCPE exam.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 343

Derrick says that he "is ready to learn if I get some support. I will say thanks with an open heart if you sponsor me."

Name: Esther K.
Gender: Female
School: Moi Girls School, Isinya,, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Esther if fifteen years old and is essentially an orphan. Her father passed away when Esther was young, and Esther's mother has disowned her because Esther refused to follow the custom of being married off early. Her elder sister helped Esther find a primary school where Esther stays during vacation. She has had no contact with any of her other relatives since 2006.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 347

Esther is a bright and hardworking student and a very resilient child. With assistance, she should do very well in high school and beyond.

Name: Faith M.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Faith's father passed away in 2008, and Faith is the eldest of four children. Faith's mother health is poor but sometimes she finds work as a house cleaner. The family lives as squatters on their neighbor's land and often goes without meals. Despite these hardships, Faith ranked 10th out of 195 students in her eighth grade class and earned a 406 out of 500 on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 406

Name: Fiona S.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Both of Fiona's parents passed away before Fiona turned seven. Fiona and her brother live with her grandmother and uncle. Her uncle is a peasant farmer, and he is able to provide basic needs for Fiona but he cannot afford school fees. Fiona is very bright and with financial support, she should do very well in high school.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 400

Name: Frida M.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Frida's father died in 2005, and Frida's mother was able to support Frida and her two siblings as a hairdresser. Unfortunately, her salon was shut down by the landlord because rent payments were late. While she was in primary school, Frida was often sent home because her mother was unable to cover the cost of books and uniforms. In spite of these challenges, Frida ranked 7th out of 155 students in her eighth grade class and performed very well on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 403

Her pastor says that Frida is a very bright and "if supported, she can make a good citizen."

Name: Getrude M.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Getrude lives with her mother and 5 brothers and sisters. Her father abandoned the family when Getrude was young. Her mother is jobless but the family earns money by growing sugarcane on their acre of land. Getrude's mother cannot afford high school fees for Getrude and generally relies on well wishers (church and friends) to pay for primary school fees for her children.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 338

Getrude's teacher says that Getrude is "a very well behaved girl and has good conduct."

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 401

Name: Irena A.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Irena has 7 brothers and sisters and is from the East Pokot district. Her parents own 6 acres of land and are farmers. Her area has been devastated by clashes between the Pokot and Samburu, and Irena and her family has had to abandon their property and hide in the bush for safety. In spite of these challenges, Irena is academically motivated and scored second highest among girls in her district on the KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 330

Irena tells us, "I need this sponsor because we are affected by tribal clashes between Pokot and Samburu and sometime we are in the bushes hiding. It is a problem because when school is open you might be in the forest hiding and parents haven't time to go borrow money (for school."

Name: Ivy I.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Ivy lives with her parents and three siblings. Her parents support the family by farming a small piece of land. They are able to provide for the basic needs of their family but cannot afford to send Ivy to high school.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 389

Ivy's teacher says that Ivy is a hard-working and disciplined pupil; Ivy ranked first out of a class of 112 students in her eighth grade class.

Name: Ivy O.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Ivy and her seven brothers and sisters are supported by their mother who is a hawker. Her dream is to become a surgeon, and she is already working towards that goal.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 338

Ivy's teacher says that, "Ivy is a well disciplined girl. She's also very hardworking."

Name: John M.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: John and his sister moved in with their uncle when their mother passed away in 1997. The uncle is unemployed but is able to provide food and shelter for his niece and nephew. But, John will not be able to attend high school without a scholarship.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 360

John's teacher says that John is "honest, polite, obedient, hardworking and well disciplined." He ranked first in his class of 49 students and scored well on the national KCPE exam. He should do very well in high school.

Name: Joseph W.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, EFAC start date 1/11

Student's Background: Joseph has two brothers and a single mother who supports her family by selling milk. While Joseph was in his first year at Rongai Boys School, there was a severe drought that severly impacted the production of milk, and Joseph's mother could no longer afford school fees for Joseph, and Joseph was sent home. With a scholarship from EFAC, Joseph was able to return to school, and he is grateful for this opportunity. He tells us that he has "a soft spot for politics" and his hobby is "riding cycles: motorcycles and bicycles." His goal is to study mechanical engineering in university. We are looking for a 3-year sponsor for Joseph.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 393

Name: Josephine N.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Josephine's parents are peasant farmers, who have been severely affected by the 2007-2008 post-election violence. Their homestead was destroyed and their animals were stolen. Josephine is the third of five children, and her parents are struggling to pay their school fees. Her two older brothers are in secondary school, but the family cannot afford to send Josephine to high school.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 332

Josephine's dream is to go to a good high school and become an accountant. Josephine ranked third out of 40 students in her eighth grade class.

Name: Justus M.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Justus comes from a very poor family that could not afford primary school fees so Justus dropped out of school at age 10. He then left home to find employment and found work as a houseboy for a good samaritan. With support from his employer, Justus re-enrolled in school and completed eighth grade at age 18. Justus feels fortunate that he was able to go back to school and dreams about continuing his education and becoming a lawyer.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 355

Justus says, "I promise one day to give back to society and help some of the disadvantaged pupils in need of education."

Name: Kadzo M.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Kadzo's father passed away two years ago, and her mother supports her four children as a peasant farmer and by selling charcoal. In primary school, Kadzo missed many days of school because she needed to help her mother with the household chores. In spite of these absences, Kadzo has excelled academically.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 370

Kadzo ranked first out of 41 students in her eighth grade class.

Name: Lilian M.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Lilian is the oldest of four children, and her parents are peasant farmers. Her father has struggled with health issues, and their income is not sufficient to send Lilian to high school. Lilian is bright and hardworking, and she ranked second out of 124 students in her eighth grade class.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 356

Lilian: "My career dream is to become a pediatrician. It has been my career dream since I was young. Nothing can spoil my dream except laziness. I have planned to work hard and have good morals so as to achieve my dream."

Name: Mary K.
Gender: Female
School: Naivasha Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Mary is fifteen years old and lives with her parents and seven brothers and sisters. Her older brother and sister could not go to high school because the family could not afford it. Her parents meet their basic needs by picking tea and finding odd jobs. Mary is a very disciplined student and ranked first in her Form 8 class of 46 students.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 392

Mary is very bright and dreams of going to high school and on to university. Without a scholarship, Mary will end her education at eighth grade.

Name: Mercy O.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Mercy's parents passed away in 2001 and 2003. Mercy and her siblings were left under the care of her older brother who is taking care of them as well as his own family. Her brother is a casual laborer and takes care of the family's basic needs but cannot afford to send Mercy to high school. In spite of his strong performance, her brother closest in age had to drop out of secondary school because of lack of fees.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 391

Mercy is a bright student and scored 391 on the KCPE. She was very pleased to be accepted into Bahati Girls School.

Name: Moses O.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Moses' mother passed away suddenly in 2009, and Moses' stepfather disowned his stepchildren (Moses and his brother Emmanuel, a 2013 EFAC student). Moses and Emmanuel are dependent on their grandmother who supports them by selling milk from her two cows. During vacations, Moses and Emmanuel stay with their grandmother and help her run the household and sell milk.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE):

Moses is a gifted artist, loves to play soccer, and is a hard-working student. Without a scholarship, he would most likely be a farm boy or "looking for some work in order to earn something to put in my stomach." He is very grateful to receive an EFAC scholarship.

Name: Nancy C.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Nancy's is one of seven children, and her parents are peasant farmers. The family struggles to cover their basic needs and cannot afford secondary school fees for Nancy. Her teacher says that Nancy is diligent and obedient.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 353

Nancy: "If assisted in my education, I'd be very glad for my future."

Name: Nancy L.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Nancy's parents are casual laborers without a steady income. She is one of seven children and her parents find it difficult to provide the basic needs for their children. With help from a good samaritan, her older brother is going to high school, and Nancy hopes to do the same.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 334

Nancy: "I promise that I will work hard in my studies and achieve my dreams and help my parents."

Name: Naom A.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Naom and her two brothers were orphaned seven years ago. Their maternal grandfather took care of them until he passed, and then they moved in with their uncle and his family. Unfortunately, their uncle has struggled to send his own children through school and cannot afford to pay Naom's school fees. Naom is bright, and she ranked first out of 22 students in her eighth grade class and earned a 400 on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 400

Name: Nellih L.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Nellih is the fourth born in a family of five children. Her father passed away in 2001 and her mother passed away in 2007. Nellih's brothers look after her but cannot afford school fees. Nellih's primary education was paid through the management of her school.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 427

Nellih is bright and hardworking. She ranked fourth out of 87 students in her eighth grade class, and she earned the highest KCPE score of the EFAC scholars this year.

Name: Pauline K.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Pauline is one of eight children, and she also has twelve step-siblings. Her older sister is at Starehe Girls School with a scholarship, and four of her other siblings were unable to go to high school because the family could not afford to send them. Her father is a peasant farmer and has struggled with the drought to provide basic needs for his family. When Pauline was in primary school, she was often sent home because she could not afford to pay for her books and uniform. In spite of these absences, Pauline did well in school. She was in the top 5 out of 60 students in her eighth grade class and earned a 391 on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 391

Name: Peter K.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Peter is the youngest of six children and his mother's health is poor. His family rents a small farm that meets their basic needs but they cannot afford secondary school fees for Peter.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 361

Peter's teachers say that he is hard-working and well-behaved. He ranked second in a class of 142 students in primary school. With a scholarship, Peter will be able to achieve his dream of becoming a priest.

Name: Robert M.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Robert's mother abandoned the family when Robert was very young and his father passed in 2007. He currently lives with his grandmother who takes care of his basic needs but cannot afford to send Robert to high school. Robert is a diligent student and ranked third out of 90 students in his Form 8 class and looks forward to continuing his education.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 344

Robert's minister states: "Robert is a well-behaved boy, intelligent, and hard-working. If Robert can be given a chance and support to continue with his education, Robert has a promising future."

Name: Rosalia B.
Gender: Female
School: Bahati Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Rosalia's father died when Rosalia was 12 years old and she lives with her mother and three siblings. Her mother started a business selling vegetables but it did not succeed. A local teacher met Rosalia in 2009 and learned that she didn't have the money to finish primary school. He realized that she was very bright and asked his school to sponsor her so she could finish eighth grade and take the KCPE. The school sponsored her fully and she finished primary school and did very well on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 396

Rosalia's head teacher says that, "The girl is disciplined, hardworking, and any assistance given to her will not be in vain."

Name: Ruth Mai.
Gender: Female
School: Naivasha Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Ruth's father passed away in 2001, and she lives with her mother and sister, both of whom are ill. Her mother is unable to work because of her health, so Ruth's grandfather helps out as much as he can. Ruth wants to become a doctor and help sick people in her community.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 387

The chief in Ruth's village says that Ruth "is bright but needy. If sponsored, she will be able to assist the family and the country at large since she has the potential and determination."

Name: Ruth May.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Ruth is the first born in a family of five. Her parents do not have stable employment. The family has a quarter of an acre of land that they use for subsistence farming, and the mother occasionally finds work in a nearby primary school. Ruth's parents had trouble paying for Ruth's primary school fees, but Ruth was fortunate to be sponsored by her school. In spite of these difficulties, Ruth ranked third out of 49 students in her eighth grade class and earned 408 out of 500 on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 408

Ruth's pastor: "Ruth is hardworking and has a bright future. I recommend her without any reservation."

Name: Samuel L.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Samuel was abandoned by his parents when he was 3 years old. He was rescued from the streets by a good samaritan and cared for by a children's home. His teacher says that Samuel is well behaved and hard working and shows a lot of leadership abilities. His is a very bright and disciplined student and ranked first in his Form 8 class of 142 students.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 386

Samuel says, "I have many dreams to achieve when I grow up but the main one is to become a medical doctor. I also have many goals. All this needs a good education because through education many doors of opportunity open wide."

Name: Sharon K.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Sharon is the first born in a family of six. Her father passed away in 2007, and her mother is a peasant farmer. She is able to provide basic support for her family but cannot afford school fees. Sharon was able to complete primary school with support from friends of her late father. But, Sharon will not be able to go to high school without a sponsorship.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 405

Sharon is bright and hard-working and earned 405 out of 500 on her KCPE.

Name: Sharon M.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Sharon is the eldest of five children, and her father abandoned the family when Sharon was very young. When her mother remarried, her stepfather could not support her so she moved in with her aunt. But her aunt has her own family to support and cannot afford high school fees for Sharon. In spite of these difficulties, Sharon has done well in school and earned a 412 out of 500 on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 412

Sharon ranked fourth out of 112 students in her eighth grade class.

Name: Sharon O.
Gender: Female
School: Vanessa Grant's Girls' School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Sharon and her two siblings live with their parents. Her father is a carpenter, and her mother has a small business selling rice. The cannot afford high school fees for Sharon. In primary school, Sharon was a peer educator and the chairperson of the Youth Alive Club.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 332

According to Sharon's teacher, Sharon is disciplined and hardworking. She ranked seventh out of 65 students in her eighth grade class.

Name: Simon N.
Gender: Male
School: Kijabe Boys School, start date 1/10

Student's Background: Simon lives with his father and six siblings. His mother passed away when Simon was 5 years old. His father is a peasant farmer who was affected by recent election violence and cannot afford school fees for Simon or his siblings. Simon is a very motivated student and ranked second out of 48 students in his eighth grade class.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 356

Simon's dream is to go to university and become an engineer. He says that he wants to do "great things in the future so he can help his family, his community and his country."

Name: Thomas M.
Gender: Male
School: Rongai Boys School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Thomas is thirteen years old and lives with his mother and 3 siblings. His mother supports the family as a peasant farmer. In primary school, Thomas could not afford textbooks or writing materials and relied on assistance from good samaritans.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 390

Thomas's teachers state that he is very bright and well disciplined. With an education, Thomas' future is very promising.

Name: Yusun A.
Gender: Female
School: Starehe Girls School, EFAC start date 1/10

Student's Background: Yusun is the second born in a family of five. Both of her parents are alive but they do not have stable employment. Her father is a hawker and her mother is a housewife. Yusun's family could not afford primary school fees for Yusun, but with the help of her school, Yusun was able to attend. In spite of these difficulties, Yusun earned a 412 out of 500 on her KCPE.

Kenyan Standardized test score (KCPE): 412