Susan and Her Family
Susan, 16, is one of two children Kenya Thriving began supporting in 2026. She lives with her parents in a rural community, where they make a living by farming rented land. They do not own their home. Her parents want a better future for their children, but paying for their education has placed a heavy strain on the family.
Academic Achievement
In December 2025, Susan graduated from Junior Secondary School with very high marks, earning a place at a National School. It was a remarkable achievement that reflected her academic ability and made her parents proud.
A Difficult Decision
Susan’s place at her new school brought a difficult choice. Her parents had already sold most of their land to pay school fees for their seven children. Their only remaining asset was a cow in calf.
To give Susan the best possible start, they made the painful decision to sell the cow. The money covered her uniform, stationery and other essentials, but paid for only a few weeks of school fees.
After the Easter break, Susan could not return to school because her family could no longer afford the fees — a situation all too common in Kenya.
Back at School, Looking Ahead
Following a request from the Migori County Head of Education, Kenya Thriving accepted Susan onto the Learning Stars programme. Staff worked quickly to help her return to school and continue her studies.
Susan particularly enjoys science and hopes to study medicine one day. She would also love to learn to play the violin.