Joyce Atieno is 17 years old and studies at Humwend Secondary School in Ukwala, Kenya. She lives with her father and after her mother passed away, she became responsible for her three brothers and two sisters. After a daily 3 hour walk to get to school Joyce enjoys being there, especially during her English classes. She is a part of the drama club where she received the best actor’s award and she is also a chairperson for the Anti-AIDS club in her community. After she finishes high school, Joyce would like to be a journalist or a lawyer. If she could do anything to help her community she would advise parents about the importance of education.

About the School

Humwend Secondary School is a community-run school situated in Ukwala. Here, 57 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, and 24 per cent lives with the highly stigmatized human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Fifty students attend the school, 95 per cent of which are partial or complete orphans.

The cost of operating Humwend Secondary School for an entire year is approximately $21,000 USD. Unlike primary education in Kenya, the cost of tuition in secondary school is significantly higher and makes up the majority of school costs.