Evance’s Background and Family
Evance is 16 and attends Grade 8 at junior secondary school. He is one of two students welcomed into Kenya Thriving’s Learning Stars in 2026.
One of five children, Evance has a 14-year-old brother, Freddox, whom Kenya Thriving has supported for the past nine years. Their father died some years ago, leaving two wives with children to care for. Their mother later left Evance and Freddox in the care of their father’s second wife, Joy.
An Interrupted Education
With no breadwinner in the household, Joy has struggled to cover school fees. In January, at the start of the 2026 academic year, she could not pay Evance’s school fees, so he had to stay at home for an entire term.
Home Life
Joy and the children live in a tiny house without running water or electricity. She cooks outside over an open fire and has only a small plot of land on which to grow food.
To earn extra money, Joy works for others on their land or takes in washing, whenever work is available.
Hope for the Future
With support from Kenya Thriving, Evance is now back at school. Although he has some catching up to do, he is settling in well and is pleased with his progress. His favourite subjects are Kiswahili and Social Studies, and the food is what he enjoys most about his new school. Looking ahead, he hopes to study medicine.