Hey everybody!

We are the LitWorld committee at East Side Middle School. For the past two years, we have been building friendships with students who attend the Red Rose School in Kibera, Kenya. Kibera is the largest slum in East Africa and the students live in horrible conditions. However, you cannot tell that they suffer a lot, because they have never complained.

Our friends are kind, caring, and relatable. They have opened our eyes and made us rethink many things we take for granted. Our problems seem miniscule compared to theirs. But they have made one thing clear, they don’t want anyone’s pity. Our friends want to be treated just like everyone else.

Unfortunately, in Kibera, high school is not free. It costs $500-1500 per child per year. The issue is that many families do not have the money to send their children to high school. If children don’t go to high school, they will have to get a job to support their families or they will have to get married to support themselves. So far we have raised $2,300 and with the help of Litworld’s already existing grant, we have all managed to send all the eighth graders who attend the Red Rose School to high school for one year.

We are beginning to write letters to political leaders in the U.S. to help spread awareness about this issue of not being able to continue their education. Education is a very important thing, it is a right and everyone should be able to get one.

--Written by the young leaders of East Side Middle School

Here are three brilliant grade 8 graduates in Kibera. Oh the stories they will tell.