Yusuf enrolled in the NRCF program in 2018 when he was in fourth grade. In the Kawangware area, he lives with his mother,  two brothers, uncle, and a cousin. His mother was and still is a casual laborer, doing odd jobs like washing clothes or cleaning other people’s houses to make ends meet. This makes meeting even basic needs for the family of six difficult. This made it difficult to cover Yusuf’s school fees, and he was frequently sent home.

Yusuf enrolled at Jagiet Academy after joining the program. He was a hardworking student, as evidenced by his academic performance. He received 339 points out of a possible 500 on his KCPE exams in 2022. This performance earned him a spot at St.John Tala High School, a boys high school in Machakos County. He started high school this year and has already raved about it. He describes it as a very good school with hardworking students who are eager to assist teachers.

His favorite subject is Mathematics, and he aspires to be the school president before graduating from high school in 2026. He also wishes to study engineering or architecture at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. As part of his extracurricular activities, he has joined a dance group and the school tennis team.

Yusuf is optimistic about getting good grades in high school and is looking forward to meeting new people and making the most of his four years there.

Transform a life today.

I am Latifah, a beneficiary of Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (NRCF) I was born and raised in the Nairobi area where I still live up to date. I grew up with my 3 siblings and we were privileged enough to be raised by both parents as most children in my neighborhood are either raised by a single parent or a guardian. However, life growing up was challenging.

Luckily, I got the opportunity to join the NRCF program while I was in grade two. I was schooling at one of their focus schools before joining the program. Once I joined, I did not have to change schools. Nonetheless, a significant difference existed back then, as I could remain in school throughout without experiencing being sent home due to a lack of school fees. Every school need was also being catered for and so my academic grades really improved. I was elected as the school head girl and held this position until my final year in primary school.

Being a disciplined student as well as hardworking made me a good fit for the position. Being head girl allowed me to nurture leadership by guiding peers, setting examples, and fostering a positive influence.

After sitting for my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), I performed above average. This earned me a slot at a girls boarding school in Kitale. I was excited to join high school especially because it was a new environment for me since I had not schooled outside of Nairobi county. While in high school, I also had 2 leadership positions. I was a dining hall captain and also an entertainment captain. I am really good at dancing and so it was easy for me to get the entertainment captains’ position. In addition to holding leadership positions, I also participated in a co-curricular activity. I participated in the drama club and joined the team that represented my school at various competition levels.

 I sat for my Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and when the results came out, I had scored an above average grade! This made me the top-performing female student for the high school class of 2022 in the program. I’m eager to pursue a law degree at the University of Nairobi, having a strong interest in this field since primary school. When I complete my course, I would also like to delve into arts and graphic design.

Thankful to my sponsor Chris for sponsoring me and giving me the chance to pursue my education. Grateful to NRCF for making sure that I maximize the opportunity. Hoping to succeed in my university studies, get a job and transform my life and that of my family.     

Transform a life today

My name is Sally and I joined the program when I was in grade 1. Joining Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (NRCF) meant transferring to a better place. The thought of going to a better school and having my school fees and other school needs fully catered for was so exciting. Once I joined the program, I was admitted to one of their focus schools, and my transformational journey began.

After completing my primary education, I was enrolled at girls secondary school in Limuru. I loved that because I had never schooled outside of Nairobi County. I immediately joined the Music Festival group which involved music and drama performances from different schools and colleges. I was able to become the chairperson of the group when I was in form three. One of my favorite subjects was computer studies and I naturally developed an interest in pursuing a course related to computer science.

After seating for my KCSE I joined Kabete National Polytechnic to pursue a course in Information Communication Technology (ICT). I knew that after 3 years of study, I wanted to be a computer programmer. I came to know of the TechMates program offered by NRCF while I was home for my school holiday and I knew that it would be a great opportunity for me to learn new skills while also implementing them. I then decided to join the program as a developer intern. I interned for 2 months after which, I had to go back to school.

I was due to go for attachment in January this year and I chose to be attached under the TechMates program. For 3 months now, I have been working on the optimization of the NRCF website as well as updating the website’s media. I have also been taking courses offered under the program and I have gained skills in coding. As part of my work, I also assist the computer lab teacher at NRCF to facilitate computer classes for the primary students. My attachment is coming to an end this month, and I am really excited to go back to school having gained new skills and working in a professional environment.

After my attachment ends this month, I will be interning as a developer for 2 months before I go back to school in June. Once I complete my studies next year, I hope to get an opportunity to work for NRCF and also acquire new clients as a freelancer. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my educational dreams and I hope to graduate and inspire more girls to take on technical courses like I did.

Transform a life today.