Proposed Student: Makam Mayaini

Home Place: Il Ngwesi, Kenya

Proposed school Program: Public Secondary School in Kenya

Makam is 14 years old and in grade seven. Makam has special responsibilities to be the timekeeper and bell ringer to notify the change of each period. This responsibility helps to demonstrate his leadership and eagerness to achieve. Makam is unable to move onto secondary school without outside help.

Makam walks 5kms (each way) to school daily. He has 3 sisters and 7 brothers.  He is a middle child and has older siblings that never went to primary school. Three of his brothers and 2 of his sisters are married. His mother has small shop in Nandugoro (the village where he lives). His mom has two cows and some sheep and goats, which is not enough to support Makam to go to secondary school. His parents are separated and he has only ever seen his father once. His favourite subject is social studies. He likes running and wants to be a doctor. He wants to help his community, and wants to help others go to school if he is able to get the chance.

There is no government day secondary school close to Makam’s home so his most affordable option for secondary school is a government boarding school. The government subsidizes 10,500 KSH of the 30 000KSH yearly cost of boarding school. So this leaves Makam 19 500 KSH ($265 USD) short of school fees. His family is able to contribute some but nowhere near enough.