Givology - give to learn, learn to give

My name is Sarah Anyango. I was born in the Siaya District in a placed called Madungu. When I was seven months old, my mother passed away and, just a few weeks after her burial, my father fell ill and passed away as also. My grandmother took guardianship of me of my siblings. However, when i was 9 months old, she fell ill and passed away as well. My uncle, who at the time was a heavy drinker and smoker, took us into his custody. Fortunately, he was able to find a stable path for his life and performed his role as a father very well.

Because of my poor health as a child, I only started schooling at the age of 5. In Standard 1, I was transferred to a school called Stara Rescue Center in Kibera. However, because my uncle was unable to pay for my, my sister, and his own son's tuition, we were forced to look for another, cheaper, school. The school that we found was located in a very rich area. I vividly recall peers laughing and making fun of me for carrying my books in nylon paper. Some were kind enough to offer me their old uniforms and shoes. However, when i was in standard 8, our financial situation again became too difficult to manage. I was, resentfully, forced to miss school for a few months because we could not afford school fees. Facing these hardships, however, I managed to score a 365 on my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), a mean average of a B+. I hope to get a scholarship that ail enable me to continue my education.