Nairobi, Feb. 1 -- At the age of 14, Cyrus Osongo Mongare was forced to worry about problems that children his age do not lose sleep over. He has had to look for money for his school fees.

There is no doubt about his academic ability, as he scored 399 points in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam and secured a place at the prestigious Maseno School.

"My uncle, who works as a caretaker, gave us Sh10,000, a fraction of the Sh53,554 annual fees required. Hopes were high that this effort would at least secure my spot in school. My dreams were shattered when I was turned away at the gate of the school. Now, I cling to the fragile thread of hope, yearning for a miracle to pave the way for education," he says.

He is st...