Name of the caregiver:   Atieno

Name of the child:    Tom

Childs Date of Birth:    11^th -5- 2013

My name is Atieno,  I am a  single  mother  of  one   child  aged  2 years and 8   months.  I come   from   a very  humble  family  of  eight, comprising of  my mother, 3 siblings and four Cousins who are total orphans. My  father died  when I  was  8  years  old.  My mother  who   depends   on casual  labour  raised all of us  single handedly , in   a one roomed  house  in   Mathare  slums of  Ngong,  where  we  are  still  staying up to  date.  My   mother  is  staunch  catholic   faithful  who  sings  in the church  choir,  due  to  her  commitment  in church,  I was  lucky  to  get  scholarship  from  the  church, through  high  School. The   church   also  assured  my  family  that  after  high  school  it  would  still  sponsor me to  do  a catering  course  which  I always  dreamed  of  pursuing  since  I was  a small  child. I  looked   forward  to  a bright  future  for  me and   my   entire  Family.  I longed  for  the day  I would  move  them  from the  slums   to  a better   place.  Just like any other  teenager  growing  up  in a slum set up and  having seen the financial difficulties my mum was experiencing to raise us, I  started  engaging  in multiple  relationship to  get  some Money to sustain  my  Family.  My mother advised me against it, but being Young and stupid, I got rebellious  towards  my  mother  who  was  really  struggling  to  provide for us.  She  tried   all  her  best  to  seek   counseling   and  mentorship  especially  from  church ,  but I was  adamant. The   year   2012 was  a great  year  for  me as  I  looked   forward  to  finishing  my  high school and joining  catering  college to  ease the  burden  for my  struggling  mother.  In  august  2012, I was  impregnant  by  a certain man,  who  I came to  learn later  the  was  a thug.  He  threatened   to  kill  me if  I disclosed  to anybody   and  told me he was  not  responsible  for my  pregnancy.  I was  embarrassed ,  depressed   and did not   know   what  to  tell  my  mother  given that  she   had  cautioned   me  before.  I thought   of  my   scholarship,  my  future  ambitions  and  felt that  my  world had crambled.  I  however  managed  to  pull  through  and  sat  for  my   Kenya    certificate  of  secondary  school   education  in the  same  year   and  attained  a mean grade of  D PLUS.

Meanwhile   I was  still  contemplating  where  I would  leave my   child  as  I pursue  my  catering  course  which   I was   determined  to  do   no matter  what.   I  confided   in my  mother’s   friend  of  my  worries  of  not  achieving  my  dreams  since  I had  to  take  care  of  my  child . My mothers friend refered me to Jukumu  letu   daycare,  where my child was admitted. I  suddenly  felt    relieved  and  started  dreaming  again and  loving  the child   whom   I was  ashamed   and  hated  so  much.  

Tom was  enrolled  in  Jukumu   in   early  2014, as I had  to  start  my  course  too,  To  me Jukumu  means  a bright  future  for  me,  my   son, my  siblings   and  my mother,  good   environment  where  my  child can  grow  holistically in   a loving  secure environment  without  being  discriminated  by  his   social  status.   With  Tom in Jukumu Letu,  I’m sure  that  he receives   quality   care  and  most  importantly  a balanced  diet  for    him   during the day. Jukumu Letu means  less  stress for  me as  I continue  pursing   education. THANK   YOU  JUKUMU   FOR  BEING  THEIR  FOR  TEENAGE  MOTHERS  LIKE   ME   AND  HELPING  THEM  REALIZE  THEIR  POTENTIAL.