Melvin (at 13, one of our youngest 8th graders) lives in Homa Bay (about 8 miles from the school) with her parents and three brothers (ages 8,11, and 15). Her mother has small shop, and her father tends to his one acre of maize.
Her mother brought her to Achungo’s school at Imbo in 2018 to join the 6th grade. Prior to Achungo, Melvin attended Gateview Primary (It was a private school, she told us, but “the teaching was not good”) She told us what she likes best about Achungo is the good teaching and good study practices and that there is a library (there was none at Gateview).
Melvin also likes that she can board on-campus, as that enables her to study whereas when she goes home, she has constant chores and would have no time for study (and without electricity, no light for evening studies). On weekends and after class, she likes to play football (soccer) with her friends and when she’s at home she visits orphans.
Her favorite classes are Math, Swahili, English, Science, and Social Studies. (Sounds like she likes all her classes!) Melvin wants to become a nurse so she can take care of those who don’t have medical care options. “I hope you can help me,” she said.