Jim’s Story

By Nassim Chelimo, Admin Assisant and Headteacher Margaret Otieno

During the school break, staff visited each grade 8 student in their homes. Because many of the parents of the grade 8 students who live far from Rabuor could not raise money to travel to come meet with MWCEA staff, staff organized to travel to them. The visit was elaborate and took us three days. I was so touched because I had not known how little our students had before Mwanzo.

Jim is a grade 8 student at Mwanzo. He is 15 years old, from Kanyaliech village in Homabay County. Jim is the 6th born in a family of 10 children. Jim's mother Lilian is 42 years old living positive with HIV/AIDS, and his father died in 2011 from AIDS. Three of his siblings died in childhood from AIDS because his mother breastfed the children due to a lack of HIV/AIDS education. 

Lilian worked as a house help, but could not continue working due to her health. Jim burns and sells charcoal during school holidays to help buy food for the family. He also works as a manual laborer in other peoples farms to get money. 

Lilian is so grateful to Mwanzo that Jim has really improved academically. She says that for the first time, her son told her that he was eating three meals a day, had enough textbooks, writing materials, and was sleeping on a bed.  

Lilian hopes that one day Jim will complete his education, get a good paying job, and be able to assist his younger siblings. She sends her thank you to Mwanzo, and repeated many times how grateful she is.

Jim and his mother Lilian at their home.