23-year-old *Jane Awuor is in her final year of secondary education. While it is unusual to be in secondary school at her age, the mother of one who became an orphan at a young age is determined to prosper in life and realize her dreams of becoming a doctor.
Jane was forced to drop out of school due to frequent lack of school fees. When DREAMS came calling she was involved in the small business of charcoal burning and making sisal ropes for fishermen at her village in Gembe Ward, Homabay County.
Living with her step mother did not make things any easier as she was expected to cook and baby sit her younger siblings whenever her step mother was away. This further exposed her to peer pressure to get married.
Initially DREAMS was only able to cater for part of her school fees. She, however, was not in a position to raise the balance, which again affected her education. It was at this point that the Constituency and County officials intervened, agreeing to give her bursaries to cover the fee balance.
Suffice to say, Jane did not escape the snare of early pregnancy, and by the time the bursary was made available, she was a mother to a baby girl. This did not deter her from getting back to school in 2018.
“DREAMS has taught me that it is possible to prosper and make it in life. I have learnt a lot and I am lucky to be back at school, a privilege that most of my peers do not have for various reasons. I plan to finish my secondary education and move on to University and become a doctor. We only have one doctor in my village and I am determined to become the second”.
JANE
We wish her all the best in her endeavours as this is what DREAMS are made of.