My name is Clare, and I am 17 years old. My name means “shining or bright,” and I was told that it was given to me by my mother because she knew I would be a bright girl in school, and she also wanted me to have a bright future. She died when I was young, so I was raised by my grandmother. I have four other siblings with whom I share my home, but growing up was not easy. My grandmother does not have a consistent source of income, making it difficult for her to care for us and pay our school fees on time.
Thankfully, she learned of a sponsorship opportunity at Ngong Road Children’s Foundation and requested assistance there right away. After passing my interview, I was given the opportunity to join the program in 2014, when I was in grade three. Jagiet Academy, one of the program’s focal schools, accepted me. While I was in grades 6 and 7, I was appointed as the class prefect for the corresponding classes, and I thoroughly enjoyed expressing my leadership abilities. In 2019, I finished elementary school and took my national examinations.
I then enrolled in Chogoria Girls High School, a national-level girls’ high school in Chogoria, Tharaka Nithi county. I was overjoyed when I entered the school since it is one of the few institutions in the country that consistently achieves high marks in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) tests, and I knew it would keep me on my toes academically. My favorite subjects have been mathematics, English, and biology, and I’ve done well in my overall academic performance. Apart from academics, I am a member of the school’s football team, debate club, and the Young Catholic Society’s organizing secretary (YCS).
I am now in my senior year of high school and am hopeful that I will graduate with honors and be able to pursue a bachelor’s degree program in aeronautical engineering at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). After finishing my bachelor’s degree, I hope to continue my education and pursue a master’s degree at Oxford University in England.
I work hard not just to create opportunities for myself, but also to express my appreciation to my sponsor and the NRCF program for believing in me and guiding me through my schooling to where I am today. NRCF is actually impacting young people’s lives, and I am pleased to be a part of this life-changing program.