The new year is always exciting for us at the transition school, we not only welcome new kids to the project but we also celebrate as the kids we had transition to formal primary education.
This year 27 kids out of the 30 chidren have successfully transitioned and Maria is among them. When you meet Maria along the corridors of her new school, Fountain of Hope Primary school, she exudes a gentle confidence. She’s calm yet has blended in with the rest despite her being the new kid in Class 5.
She joined us in Transition class last year after dropping out of her previous school due to the inability of her mother to pay school fees. The single mother gets casual jobs in Kibera and therefore has an unstable income and struggles to support her family. These struggles don’t show on Maria’s face, she’s determined to do her best especially now that they don’t have to worry about school fees or meals while she’s at school. When this photo was taken, it was breaktime and most of the kids were out playing but she came back to class to try work on her assignment before the day ends.
We are excited that children like Maria will receive a chance to join school or reenter the education system despite the financial situations back at home and we will continually share their stories with you, because you are a part of these life changing moments.
