People We Help

Hope, aged 13

Hope (a false name) was enrolled as a boarding student into Standard One at primary school in 2006. she was among the first group of children to be sponsored through Shika,.

Back then, Hope was a painfully shy and introverted little girl.  At nursery school she sat at the back of the class and never raised her hand to answer a question.  However, if asked, she mostly always knew the correct answer.  She just wanted to fade into the background.  She had so much potential, but really lacked in confidence.

The key to this could be found in the events of her life up until now.  Hope was an orphan, and she now lived with an overstretched aunt.   This aunt, already desperately poor, struggled to support an extra child.  Hope bore the brunt of her frustrations on a day to day basis.  This manifested in the classroom as Hope’s extreme introversion.  After careful consideration it was decided that Hope would benefit from a boarding school place.  This would release some pressure from the aunt and enable Hope to focus on her studies.  Luckily we were able to match her with a boarding school sponsor who committed to sponsor her primary school education.

The change in Hope has been dramatic.  Over the past 6 years, she has grown in confidence and ability and It’s now difficult to stop her talking!  She is keen to show her ability in class now, which has resulted in her performing among the top 5% in her year.  The icing on the cake came recently when Hope was chosen to be Head Girl when she enters the final year of primary school in January.  What an amazing achievement and proof how education is transforming Hope’s life!

How the Shika sponsorship helped Hope?

The boarding sponsorship was particularly effective for Hope as it enabled her to move away from home for nine months out of twelve.  This greatly improved the relationship between Hope and her aunt, as on a day to day basis, the burden of Hope’s care became less for her aunt.   Hope returned home one month out of every four to retain her vital sense of family connection and belonging.  Boarding at school was also beneficial for Hope’s studies as it enabled her to take proper time to study in the evenings, instead of working solely on household chores.