Quinter lives with her mother and siblings in a rented room within Naivasha. The father abandoned them about 3 years ago. Quinter’s mother is sickly; she can barely walk by herself. She has developed an eye condition which makes her sight blurred. This means that the mother does not do anything by herself and, therefore, cannot afford to put a meal on the table for her kids. This family lives under the mercy of well-wishers.

“My name is Leah Wambui Gachugi, I live in Mungu village. I was born in 1997 at Naivasha District Hospital in a family of seven children. I am the fifth born in our family. When I was five years old, I was taken to Munyu nursery school where I studied for a period of two years. In 2004, I was taken to Munyu primary school where I spent eight years studying for Kenya Certificate of Primary Education. During this time, I could be sent home for school fees most of the time. May parents could not be able raise the small amount of fees that we were required to pay at school and this mean that I spent a lot of time at home before I would go back to school. I did KCPE for the first attempt in 2011 and managed to score only 197 marks out of the possible 500. This actually shocked me, because I believed I was better than the 197 marks. This was way below average. Despite the low marks, one the local high schools (Munyu secondary school) sent me an admission letter to join form one in 2012. I did not manage to join form one in that school because, my parents were not able to raise school fees and other related expenses for me to join high school. ‘What next?’ was the question in that rang in my mind for several days. I later joined my parents working at other peoples’ land to earn us a living. My parents and I worked as casual laborers for several months until I decided to go back to primary school and repeat from class seven. My parents consented to my idea of going to repeat in class seven but again, I remember very vividly that, they only had Kes500 to cater for school fees. I was bought a school uniform by a neighbor of good will. Finally, I was in school again, this time repeating class seven. The thought of repeating primary school cold not let me slumber. The school about 5km away from home and I would walk to and from school every day. I could read at home up to 10:30PM and would wake up as early as 3:00 in the morning to read and to prepare myself for school. At times, if I felt sleepy before I could finish what I was reading, I could place my feet in a cold water basin to avoid sleep. I did the second attempt of KCPE and this time round, I managed 295 marks out of 500. After the KCPE results were release, I was given a scholarship form by Mr.Andrew Muigai to feel for a possibility of being sponsored. Mr. Muigai was my Swahili teacher and also a member of Empower the World Foundation. After a few weeks, I was told that my application was successful and I needed to go for an interview to join form one at St. Francis Xavier. I was overjoyed for this great opportunity awarded by Empower the World Foundation. This, meant everything for me. I couldn’t have gone to a secondary school were it not for Empower the World Foundation. I was given hope, but again, my parents didn’t have money to purchase the requirements for a boarding school. Nonetheless, through the help of neighbors and some relatives, I managed to get the requirements and was enrolled at St. Francis Xavier form one in 2014. While in form one, third term, my father was involved in a tragic road accident that resulted in him losing his left arm. I was downtrodden by this reality. He was the one who used to get me money for the shopping of small personal items that I could use throughout the term at school. I didn’t give up. In school, there existed a group of students called ‘sister to sister’, this group was organized to help those who would not have enough of personal items. They could share what they did not need to me so that I could survive through the term. While at St. Francis, I worked really for many reasons but most importantly not to let ETW down and to acquire to grade that will lead to an admission into university. The school fees payment was a thing of the past, so I couldn’t worry at all of being sent home that have not paid because ETW was committed to paying it on time. I finally score a mean grade of B- (minus) of 57 points. Even though the financial situation at home hasn’t changed, I believe that I shall join university. I would l have not been able to narrate my story were it not for Empower the World. This foundation found me when I was in absolute need. I can’t thank them enough. It was my dream come true. Many people out there are in need of such opportunities; it isn’t that I was the best of all but because I was lucky. I look forward to a day when I too shall be able to give a similar opportunity to a needy kid out there!” As indicated earlier on, the above is a story that Leah wrote and asked me to type it and send it to all those people who were involved in one way or another in raising money for her high school fees. She shall be joining university in September 2018. She looks forward to it. When I spoke to her, she told me that she looks forward to a good time in the university.

With determination and the support of my scholarship, I continued to excel academically, ultimately achieving a remarkable B+ in my final examination. Subsequently, I enrolled at the University of Nairobi, where I embarked on my journey toward a degree in Education.

I count myself fortunate to secure a teaching position at Anestar Boys High School, where the income I earned allowed me to contribute to my family's financial well-being. However, before I could begin my university studies, my father passed away. This loss felt like a setback, compounded by the fact that I hadn't seen him since the separation. Despite this heartache, life's challenges have only strengthened my resolve to persevere and make the most of the opportunities that come my way. I am grateful to God for His continued favour.

The father is not known. She lives with her aunt in a rented room within Naivasha who is actually the wife of her late mother’s brother. The aunt took her in when her mother passed on. The aunt’s husband abandoned then a year ago after stealing Kes.60,000 which the aunt had been loaned for building a house at home. The aunt is a casual labourer at a flower farm. The time I visited their house, Zipporah had gone to take care of her ailing grandmother. I will post her photo once she gets reports at STG.

The mother is a casual labourer. The father abandoned them leaving the mother as the sole provider of the family. The family does not own any property. According to the area chief, the family is landless

This theme provides an opportunity to recognize the attributes of young individuals and the capacity they possess to contribute to a nation's development. Empower the World Foundation extends assistance to underprivileged children by providing scholarships, thereby easing their financial constraints and allowing them to pursue their education. Additionally, we conduct workshops aimed at inspiring and motivating young individuals. The absence of opportunities to access resources is one of the factors that hinder young individuals from realizing their full potential. Depression, peer pressure, unemployment, and lack of self-confidence are further challenges that confront young people. It is our duty to provide encouragement, generate opportunities, and offer support to the youth as they navigate through the various challenges of life.

particularly as the global landscape gradually transitions towards sustainable development. Education 2030 devotes considerable attention to technical and vocational skills development, specifically regarding access to affordable quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training(TVET). This includes acquiring technical and vocational proficiencies tailored for employment, respectable occupations, and entrepreneurial endeavors. Additionally, Education 2030 aims to eliminate gender inequalities and ensure equitable access for marginalized groups, which is in alignment with SDG4.