Thank you to everyone who supported us in our Mother's Day matching campaign! By contributing to this campaign you were able to show not only how important your mother is, but also how important all mothers are, whether they're from New York City or Kibera. We hope that you and your family -- and especially all of the moms out there! -- had an incredible day.
Below, meet one of the many mothers who make a difference at SHOFCO every single day.
Interview with Mama Michelle – Jackline Achieng Owiti – Parent and Employee
How long have you been involved with SHOFCO?
Michelle started coming to school three years ago. Then Ken’s mother called me to prepare food for the clinic. I started working in 2011. Before, I was selling tomatoes, onions, and cabbage in my mother’s store.
How do you enjoy working at SHOFCO?
With my salary, I buy things that I don’t have in the house. The money has helped me very much. I help my mother upcountry, I help my son to go to school. Now, Baba Michelle [my husband] doesn’t have a good job, so when I get money it helps us in the house because he does casual labor. Sometimes he goes out, sometimes he comes back without anything. I am happy with SHOFCO. My mother is suffering in the village, but when I get money, I can send it for her to help her with another sister who is at home. She is in primary school. I don’t have my father, I have only my mother. My mother is also is a business owner, but she doesn’t get enough money so I help her with my salary. She’s happy when I send money to her.
I am very happy. I like SHOFCO very much. SHOFCO helps me very much. By now I have everything that I got because of money I got from serving SHOFCO. Of course, SHOFCO has changed my life. And changed the life of Michelle. From now, I’m feeling very well. Many people want to come to this school. They ask me, Mama Michelle, how can I bring my baby there? I tell them to bring their baby to interview.
How do you think Michelle has changed since she’s joined KSG?
She has changed. She knows how to read and write, speak fluent English. She teaches me. When she is grown up, she can help me. I know I will eat very well because Michelle has a lot of knowledge. She wants to be a doctor, and I am very much happy.
What have you learned since you started working here?
I have learned how to speak with people. You can tell somebody something and the way you handle it is not good. I know how to be with many people, how you can talk with them.
How is Michelle’s education different than your son’s?
Michelle knows how to speak. The boy can write but speaking is very difficult for him. The boy is bigger than Michelle but she is doing very well.
What do you think is the most important program that SHOFCO has?
The school is the most important because the students know how to learn. The teachers know how to teach the children very well.
Mama Michelle and Michelle on our rooftop playground!