Christian
Christian is excelling at the Kibera School for Girls, learning new things and gaining more confidence every single day. Though one of the smaller 1st graders, she has a big personality and even bigger smile. Christian is very bright, which can be seen from the work she has done in all of her classes. During a public speaking lesson, Christian wrote a wonderful speech about how she loves Kibera School for Girls, and thinks that all girls should be able to go to school. A cute story is that when Christian made a speech about what she wants to be when she grows up, she said “driver.” Christian wrote “you can go in the car anywhere you want and you can have fun in the car.” Very adorable. Christian is also a wonderful reader, one of the best among the yellow class. Not only intelligent and determined, Christian is also incredibly sweet and kind to her classmates and teachers. She has been known to help out without ever being asked. With the opportunities, education, and support that Christian has at KSG, she is sure to grow up to become whatever she wants to be.
Cinderella
You can’t talk about Cinderella without talking about her name. It conjures up images in our minds of glass slippers, royal balls, evil stepsisters, Prince Charming…the list goes on. Cinderella, a first grader at the Kibera School for Girls, might not appear to have that much in common with her namesake. At a second look, though, she really does. Our Cinderella is hard-working, kind, and loves to sing and dance—just like in the story! She has obviously taken KSG’s values to heart, dedicating herself thoroughly to her education and working hard every day to learn. Cinderella can be quiet and withdrawn when you first meet her. She’s very shy, and it might take her a day or two to warm to new people, but once she warms, she’s fantastic. Cinderella greets you with a smile and a hug. She’s playful, too—always joining in on whatever song and dance the girls are performing. Cinderella is a wonderful reader, and she loves reading too. She wrote and performed a speech about how much she loves reading, stating “I love reading when I am in the school.” Cinderella can also have a sassy attitude from time to time. This may have been sparked from feelings of empowerment that all girls should go to school, like at KSG! In another public speaking class, Selma wrote and performed a speech about why she loves KSG. She stated, “I like Kibera School for Girls because they don’t have boys! Boys are bad and girls are good!” In a society that does not believe girls should have an education, Cinderella is learning that she deserves to have one.
Elvin
The first thing you may notice about Elvin is that she seems pretty shy. She’s a lot smaller than a lot of the girls, even though she is one of the older girls. Her demeanor may fit her size, but Elvin just needs time to open up. Once she does, Elvin can easily rattle off a long response to a question you ask her. She is a very bright young woman; Elvin notices and analyzes the world around her. She is especially good at English, and loves reading and being read to. She is one of the sweetest and friendliest girls at KSG. She is very compassionate towards her teachers and peers. This makes sense, because when Elvin grows up she wants to be a doctor. Elvin even created and performed a speech about this during a public speaking class. Elvin wrote, “I want to be a doctor, because they help and treat people!” It’s surprising that, even given her shyness, Elvin was able to perform the speech with an enormous amount of confidence. During another public speaking class, Elvin wrote about why she loves the Kibera School for Girls. She stated, “I love Kibera School for Girls because they are the best! The girls are obedient, have good manners, and they are good girls.” Elvin is becoming more and more self-assured at KSG. Elvin definitely has one of the most adorable smiles at KSG (among a large group of adorable smiles!) She will break into a huge smile and hide her hands in her face laughing. Watching Elvin smile and laugh is the highlight of any day.
Gloria
Gloria, born on Halloween, has none of the spookiness that we associate with that holiday in her personality. She’s kind, sweet, and very dedicated to her education. Gloria shows up at school every morning with a smile on her face, ready to learn. She is relatively quiet, never seeking attention by misbehaving or by asking acknowledgement for good behavior. Gloria is great in the classroom. She particularly enjoys arts & crafts, and at any free moment you can find her drawing a picture on whatever paper she can find. When Gloria grows up, she wants to be a doctor. When writing about why, Gloria stated, “Because they treat people and a doctor helped me when I was sick so I want to be one.” This is not surprising, because Gloria is a very compassionate young woman. She is always thinking of others, and very helpful to her teachers and peers at KSG. Gloria has an obvious love for learning and life, and brings that spirit to the classroom every day.
Lucy
Lucy has had a very hard life, yet she is an enthusiastic and optimistic student at the Kibera School for Girls. Lucy always works hard and is an active participant in class. She is very respectful and attentive, listening closely to the lesson and taking it all in. Lucy has a big heart; she is always compassionate and loving towards her teachers and peers. During a lesson on public speaking at KSG, Lucy gave a wonderful speech about how running is her favorite activity. This makes sense, because Lucy is one of the most athletic girls at KSG. A born mover, Lucy can run, play, and dance with the best of them. She also has a huge imagination. A very creative student, Lucy loves to make art. She is excelling in the 1st grade, and loves Kibera School for Girls because “they teach me so much.”
Makesh
Makesh is a leader at the Kibera School for Girls. Whether she is leading the group in a song or showing her outgoing personality, the younger girls really look up to her. Although Makesh is only 7, she is very mature for her age. She is unique, with a sassy personality like none other. This sassiness comes across when she dances. She loves to dance, sing, shake her hips, bob her head, and is very talented at it. Makesh seems tough and acts cool, but she actually has a sensitive side. A volunteer at KSG describes Makesh’s personality: “the volunteers and I were walking out of Kibera, and Makesh ran up and held my hand, saying her house was on the way. When we got to Olympic, I asked where she lived – she blushed and giggled and said, ‘about halfway back to the school’, meaning she had walked all the way just to walk with us.” Makesh is also incredibly bright. She loves to read and write, and really enjoys her classes at KSG. After learning a silly song with confusing words in it, “Aga Flaga Flega Fluga Ishka Noga Nega Nuga,” Makesh decided to diligently write down all the words on the blackboard. There are even more words to the song than those written above- determined Makesh wrote them all down! The impact Kibera School for Girls is having on Makesh’s life is obvious, shown by her constant refrain: “Wow! Kibera School for Girls is the BEST!”
Marion
When Marion grows up, she wants to be a journalist. Fittingly, Marion is very confident and sure of herself in any situation. She loves to learn, and always raises her hand high in the air to answer questions during class. It’s obvious how much Marion loves the Kibera School for Girls. In a public speaking class, she was assigned to write and perform a speech, and Marion decided to write about KSG. She states, “I like going to school because I read very well. I enjoyed it at 8:30 until the end of the day. Others should like school too, because it is fun. We even go on trips!” Marion is obviously very smart, and, as she said herself, a particularly good reader. Marion brings a wonderful energy to KSG every single day. Marion also loves to have fun, singing and dancing with her friends during recess. Marion is a bit of an explorer; she is always wandering off to do something interesting. Great things usually come of this, however. The girls took turns painting a mural outside of the school, but Marion was somehow always participating…even when she was supposed to be in class! Luckily, Marion, a talented artist, was a huge help. KSG has given Marion so many opportunities, and she is using them to her full advantages. Marion is talented and intelligent; she is sure to go on to do wonderful things in the future.
Martha
Martha’s enthusiastic energy and love for learning is contagious at the Kibera School for Girls. She is always excited to learn something new, and actively participates in every class. Nothing seems to get Martha down; she is a genuinely happy girl who always has a smile on her face. She can easily cheer you up when you’re down, and is always there to give a hug when one is needed. Martha is very creative and talented. The girls took a step dancing class during their month of summer camp-inspired learning, and Martha was the best stepper at KSG. Even a few weeks later, she could still do the step routine that she was taught. Martha loves to dance and gets so much joy out of it; she is so fun to watch. Martha also loves to sing; she made a speech about how she wants to be a singer when she grows up. There really isn’t much that Martha does not love to do. Martha is a wonderful student. Her caring attitude, desire to interact with others, and love for learning are characteristics that would make her a fantastic teacher one day. Martha has a thirst for knowledge, and an interest in learning about different people and places in the world. Martha is often described as a “mother’s helper,” she always does what is asked of her, and usually goes above and beyond this. Even if the entire class is misbehaving, Martha will be sitting in her chair quietly and sweetly, making her a favorite among teachers. The Kibera School for Girls has given Martha the opportunity to thrive in a wonderful community. As she grows as a student and person each day, only time will tell the wonderful things Martha will do in her life. Martha explains, in her own words, why she loves KSG: “If you learn in Kibera School for Girls you will be so bright and clever. When I did not come to school I did not know everything.” Thanks to KSG, with such a smart girl like Martha, it would not be surprising if one day Martha knows… everything.
Molet
Molet is never on the sidelines. You can find her in the thick of any game, song, dance, or project that the Kibera School for Girls students are undertaking; she has so much zest for life. This is truly embodied whenever somebody pulls out a camera—Molet is bound to grab a prop and strike a pose. She especially loves having videos taken of her, and performs little monologues in the funniest voices. She definitely is the jokster of the group; she would often pretend to tell the girls off in a mom-ish voice. Molet is a great actress with a big personality! She loves pretty much everything- eating, playing, and, of course, learning at KSG. She wants to be a pilot when she grows up, and she wrote and performed a speech about this dream in Public Speaking class. Molet is incredibly helpful to her teachers in class and out of it, always lending a helping hand or offering to carry their bags on field trips. After lunch, Molet will always help move the tables in the library so that the older girls can play football (soccer). Playing football is something Molet loves to do herself! Molet’s positive attitude and energy will surely carry her far in life; KSG is lucky to have her.
Selma
Selma is an absolute joy to have at the Kibera School for Girls. She’s very quiet and well behaved, with impeccable manners that could put any adult to shame. Selma truly enjoys learning. Her favorite class is art—she’s great at coloring and really creative when making fun projects like sock puppets. Selma has a shy smile that she shows off at quiet moments or when she is singled out for doing good work. She loves her teachers, offering hugs in the hallway whenever they pass. Even given her shy exterior, Selma can have a sassy attitude. This may have been sparked from feelings of empowerment that all girls should go to school, like at KSG! In public speaking class, Selma wrote and performed a speech about why she loves KSG. She stated, “It is the best. I like Kibera School for Girls becuase we work hard. I like Kibera School for Girls becuase we don’t have boys!” At KSG, Selma is learning that she, as a girl, deserves an education. She plans to use her education to do good; Selma wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. Luckily, as a student at KSG, she will have the opportunity to reach that goal.
Susan
Susan may not be one of the tallest 1st graders, but she is among the brightest. She is very outgoing, which can be seen as she happily sings, dances, and plays games with her friends. She does this while shaking her hips in a sassy way, a smile creeping out the sides of her mouth. Susan is very intelligent, and excels academically at KSG. Susan loves learning too. She is particularly good at social studies, and loved a lesson on voting that was taught by volunteers at KSG. When Susan grows up, she wants to be a baker. She wrote, “I like being a baker because the baker is cooking the cakes. I love cooking good cakes.” Susan even performed a wonderful speech about wanting to be a baker, for her public speaking class. While many girls at KSG want to be bankers, Susan’s desire to be a baker is very interesting and unique. This makes a lot of sense, because Susan is an interesting and unique young woman!
Tracy
Tracy is a first grader who, at times, can be quiet and shy. However, you can catch her in certain moments making jokes or singing loudly with her friends. Tracy is a wonderful student, and it always eager to learn. She particularly loves reading. Tracy is always eager to please her teachers, making her one of the most helpful first graders. It is easy to see what an incredible impact KSG is having on her life. When she created a public speech for class, she did her on KSG. Tracy excitedly proclaimed “I love Kibera School for Girls!” This love for school has carried over to Tracy’s thoughts about the future; when she grows up, she wants to be a teacher. She wrote, “I want to be a teacher because they teach me how to read.” Maybe one day Tracey will be a teacher at our very own KSG!
Vanessa
Vanessa, an enthusiastic 1st grader, always has a smile on her face. No matter how badly you are feeling, Vanessa is capable of brightening your day. She is smart and an excited learner. Always respectful to her teachers, Vanessa is attentive in class and shows a genuine desire to learn new things every day. Vanessa is consistently enthusiastic about every new thing she learns, from origami to geography to making sock puppets. As a first grader, Vanessa is a member of the second-oldest grade in school. However, she never acts like she’s too cool for school. She is a great singer and dancer, and can often be found laughing with her friends during free time. No matter what she is doing, Vanessa is passionate about it. When Vanessa grows up, she may want to be a doctor or a dentist. She feels lucky to be able to go to KSG. Vanessa said, “I love Kibera School for Girls because we have many teachers, they teach me well, and when I grow up I’ll be whatever I want.” One thing is for sure, KSG is lucky to have Vanessa.