Givology - give to learn, learn to give

My name is Patrick Milo Njiro. I live in a region of Kibera called Gilanga. I live in a single room house with my brother, four sisters and my mother. I am the youngest of my siblings. My parents divorced because my father was a heavy drinker. Shortly after their divorce, my mother decided to open up a small business selling vegetables and fruits. However, she was often unable to meet our needs, financially, and we were often hungry.

When I was three years old, my mother enrolled me at nearby school called Ack Emmanuel--a missionary school in Kibera. The school begins with preschool, which is when I began, and goes up to class eight.

When I was in school I faced many challenges. Me and my siblings were often very hungry. My siblings were all forced to drop out of school because we were unable to afford tuition fees. I did not even own a uniform to wear to school until I was in class four. Oftentimes I would stay home from school because we were unable to afford the tuition. We were unable to afford proper health care, so oftentimes poor health would interfere with my learning as well. Because it was so expensive for us, my mother decided to transfer me from Ack Emanuel to Lunga Lunga Baptists, a school located in the Industrial district. Despite lacking proper medical care, often facing hunger and lacking the means to afford tuition, I was able to score a 321 on the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). I hope to obtain a scholarship to continue my education.