My name is Jessica Shiungu Ayuma, the firstborn in a family of 4. I was born on 10th May 2004 to a single mother. My mother used to live in the slums of Dandora Estate in Nairobi, Kenya. In the slums my mother would do odd jobs to feed us and being the only breadwinner, life was very difficult to feed, clothe and educate us. 

Getting a daily meal was quite a challenge and we would at times sleep hungry. Being the eldest, I would tend to my younger siblings as my mother went looking for casual jobs to feed and educate us. I would often drop in and out of school due to a lack of fees. 

Sadly as fate would have it, my mother was struck with epilepsy disease and could no longer support us. We all became very devastated. However, one day a good Samaritan named Mrs. Wanjohi, who used to give my mother casual jobs, offered to take me back to school. She became my supporter as well as my spiritual mentor. Mrs. Wanjohi introduced me to a Director of a school named Bringers of Joy Education Centre, where I was enrolled in class 5 in the year 2013. 

At the school, we were given food and accommodation for free together with a few other needy cases we found there. The Director of the School, Mrs Damaris Ngure was also a pastor. She encouraged me a lot and became like my second mother as well as my spiritual mentor. With the support of the Director and her husband, I was able to go through my primary school studies with a lot of determination, believing that one day I would be able to support my ailing mother in upbringing the rest of the siblings. 

I managed to sit for my KCPE exam in the year 2016 and passed well with 331 marks, but again there was a challenge in my enrollment for a Form 1 place. Once again the two Samaritans named above came to my rescue by looking for a suitable school where I was enrolled. I sat for my KCSE exam in the year 2020 and scored a C-. Due to fee constraints, I was not able to enroll at any Tertiary institution, even though I applied and was admitted at the Kenya Utalii College on 2nd September 2022, to pursue a 2 years, Food and Beverage Course. 

The college required me to pay Kshs 258,900/= for the 2-year course. Efforts to seek sponsors completely failed and so I lost the chance I so dearly needed. Currently, am sheltered at Bringers of Joy Education Centre while doing odd jobs here and there with the hope and prayer that one day I will find a sponsor who will be willing to pay for my college fees. My dream is to become a nurse, with the hope to take care of my ailing mother.