Family in Focus

Family in Focus | Fortune Learners Centre | Kayole, Kenya

By Charles Owino

Denzel’s family is a family of five, his mother has four children, two girls and two boys.  Denzel is the eldest followed by Goodluck, then Vinit, and the last born is Laresha.  They lost their dad in 2015.  He was sole breadwinner of the family, and as many cases in Kenya, the father’s family did not welcome them.  They took all their Father’s property, leaving the widow and the children empty handed.  His mother was depressed for sometimes, but seeing her children gave her strength, and she was not ready to let the children suffer in the hands of extended family members.  I learned about this situation through one of our teachers who is a neighbor. 

 Seeing that we were helping such families, he shared with me her story in December 2017, and I asked him to send her to me for a visit at Fortune Learners Centre (FLC).  When she was able to come she told me about her troubles which were many.  Ultimately, she had no place to go having lost her parents and not being able to stay in her deceased husband’s home.  She used to do house chores for mild income families in the neighbourhood; like washing clothes and keeping-up their homes,  but she got frustrated with this job because most of the male clients sexually abused her.  She tried some small trades which she could not properly do because of the lack of capital.  She even looked for jobs at construction sites which is male dominated, but here again the story was the same as previous work, men wanted relationships, and some were not willing to offer her a job because she rejected their advances.

Denzel and the other siblings.

 She shared with me how she has move with her children from one school to another after the death of her husband because she couldn’t pay their school fees and for the last term of 2017 they were all at home.  They were given a chance at Fortune in January 2018 and we have really tried to give her food support whenever we could.

 She also worked as a cook at Fortune for sometime before she got a job elsewhere.  We could only provide tuition assistance and she was left to feed the children, which also proved to be a challenge because at times they came to school with an empty stomach.

Photo of grade four pupils enjoying their porridge today

 Something significant happened in March 2019 which revealed so much of their struggles at home.  Vinit, one of her boys, was being punished by his teacher because he had stolen food belonging to another child in class.  When I asked about the incident, the teacher told me that it was not the first time.  The boy was always begging fellow pupils for food and when denied, he would steal.  The teacher’s action did not impress me, but she defended herself by saying that she is also under pressure from the parents whose children’s food is oftentimes stolen.  I warned the teacher against punishing a child for this type of incident.  I had time with the boy and he told me that he is always hungry in school because they lack food at home most of the time.  A friend promised to give $200 to the mother to start a business that would then ensure that she provide the children with food, but he failed to follow through. 

 I am thankful that God brought GO! into partnership with our school that has helped in eliminating these types of situations.  Not only are children like Vinit now receiving needed nutrition, but they are being placed in a better situation that will allow for an improved learning environment for all.

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As of December 2020, 409 students attend school in DR Congo, Kenya, and Zambia, based on our Scholarship Initiative. 36 sponsors at $30 per month will allow us to continue providing this critical element of care for over 400 students in 2021. Education last a life time and is critically important for breaking the cycle of poverty.

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