Esther, now 20, recalls her childhood in a poor neighborhood of Nairobi, where school provided an escape from her difficult home life. Living in a tin-roof house near an open sewer, she faced boredom and uncertainty while her mother, Mueni, struggled to find work. In 2014, a requirement to present birth certificates for national examinations became a significant barrier for Esther, as her estranged father held her certificate. Her mother faced bureaucratic challenges in trying to obtain a new one, ultimately leading to Esther’s withdrawal from education.
