Keep a student in school

Mercy is a beneficiary of Affecto Foundation and is currently in Grade 10. She is the firstborn in a family of two children. Her younger brother is in Grade 7 at a public junior secondary school. Their mother is the sole caregiver and provider following her separation from the children's father when Mercy was in Grade 5. According to the mother, the separation resulted from prolonged financial hardship, the father's alcohol abuse, and repeated incidents of conflict and domestic violence. Since leaving the family, the father has completely withdrawn from his parental responsibilities and has not contributed to the education or upkeep of either child.

During the Grade 10 intake process, we visited Mercy's home and established that the family currently resides in an unfinished building. They occupy the lower section while construction of the upper floor is still ongoing. The house consists of two small rooms. One room is shared by Mercy, her mother, and her mother's younger sister, while the other is occupied by Mercy's younger brother and two of her mother's younger brothers. The house does not belong to the family but was temporarily offered by a church member after learning about their difficult circumstances. The family agreed to pay a monthly rent of KSh 4,000, usually in two installments of KSh 2,000 at the beginning and end of each month. This arrangement remains relatively flexible because the landlord understands the family's financial situation. In addition to Mercy, her mother, and her younger brother, the household also accommodates three of the mother's siblings; one sister and two brothers, bringing the total number of occupants to six.

The extended family members are also experiencing financial hardship and are therefore unable to provide any meaningful support. The household's economic situation is extremely strained. Mercy's mother earns a living through casual door-to-door laundry services, which provide irregular and minimal income. The little she earns is primarily used to purchase food, although meeting even this basic need remains a significant challenge. During the assessment, the family reported that they had gone without both breakfast and lunch on the previous day because they had no food. Although the mother remains committed to prioritizing her children's education, her limited income makes it impossible for her to meet the costs associated with senior school education. Mercy has consistently demonstrated strong academic ability and commitment to her education.

Throughout her primary and junior secondary education, she benefited from the generosity of her class teacher, who personally paid her school fees in recognition of her outstanding academic performance. This support ended after she completed junior secondary school because the teacher was no longer in a position to continue assisting her. Mercy sat for the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) and scored an impressive 56 out of 72, a commendable achievement that qualified her for senior school. Despite this success, she was unable to transition immediately because of financial constraints.

When Affecto Foundation learned of Mercy's situation, it was toward the end of the first term. We moved quickly to enroll her in our education sponsorship program and facilitated her admission to a national school, although she joined just as the term was coming to an end. As a result, she was unable to sit for the end-of-term examinations. Despite the delayed admission and the learning gap it created, Mercy has shown remarkable determination and resilience. She is working diligently to catch up by copying missed notes, consulting her teachers regularly, studying independently, and revising consistently. Her commitment to overcoming these challenges reflects her resilience, strong work ethic, and unwavering desire to succeed academically.