When schools closed for a holiday in late July, David retreated to Sons of Manaseh Children’s Home, where he has lived for the last six years. During the drive from school to the home, David couldn’t help but think of his younger sister Sarah, who also lives at Sons of Manaseh. Unbeknownst to David, Sarah was also eagerly waiting for him, and when he opened the gate to the home, a delighted Sarah ran towards him, almost knocking him off balance.
“She was so excited to see me. I love to see her happy,” David says.
David, Sarah, and Mwendwa are siblings, and they are all sponsored by Moja Tu. They lost their father when they were very young. Their dad was the sole breadwinner of the family.
“Things became very tough for my mother, and we had to chip in to help her put food on the table. Our neighbors and the church were also very gracious, and they came to our aid whenever they could,” says David.
One of these neighbors who knew about Moja Tu and our work presented the siblings’ case to our team. After hearing their story, we immediately admitted the children into our program and transferred them to a safe home. They later moved to Sons of Manaseh Children’s Home, where they stay to date.
David is now a form 4 student and will take his KCSEs in March next year. This will pave the way for him to join the university. Although he entered high school with relatively low marks, he has pulled up his socks and is now posting excellent results.
“I had a B+ at the end of term examinations. However, I am working towards an A grade that will allow me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine,” says a confident David. He has a wonderful role model to guide him to this goal: his elder brother Mwendwa, who is currently undertaking a Bachelor’s in Nursing.
“I joined Moja Tu when I was in high school, and I have experienced tremendous growth. My sponsors ,Kathy and Michael, have been like my parents. Besides the financial assistance I get from them, I also receive mentorship that has come in handy,” Mwendwa says.
David and Mwedwa’s sister Sarah is in grade five. She is soft-spoken and enjoys the company of the other kids in the home.
The Kiio children demonstrate that every child has hidden potential, and all it takes is to be given an opportunity and a conducive environment to exploit this potential.
“I am very grateful to Moja Tu for taking care of us. At least we need not worry about school fees and where we will get school supplies because that is already taken care of by the organization. It’s reassuring knowing that someone is looking out for us, and we can focus our energies on our education. I thank Moja Tu and all our sponsors for giving us a second chance at education,” concludes a grateful David.