“I love going to school.”
Following the death of her mother, Mwangaza moved in with her grandmother. 12-year-old Mwangaza’s house is a busy place, her grandmother not only cares for Mwangaza and her sibling, she also cares for several other children.
Growing up, Mwangaza couldn’t attend formal schooling because she didn’t have a birth certificate. Instead, she attended an informal school. Mwangaza struggled at the informal school. She was frequently in and out of school because her family struggled to pay the school fees. She was withdrawn, didn’t speak, and avoided eye contact. Mwangaza explains,
“I developed a fear of going to school since I felt different from other children.”
Gaining A Birth Certificate
Mwangaza shares “At 10-years-old, I didn’t know what a birth certificate was or why it was important. I first heard about it when Pendekezu Letu staff came to support me to enrol in a formal school. My grandmother also had no idea about the process of getting one.”
In 2023, with the support of Toybox’s Kenya partner Pendekezu Letu and her aunt, Mwangaza started the complex process of receiving her birth certificate. Mwangaza shares what the process was like:
“We went to the hospital where I was born to get my birth notification which could not be traced at home. We managed to find the birth notification number and I could finally apply for a birth certificate. When the names were searched from the records at the birth registration office, they discovered that my name was written incorrectly. To have it corrected, I was told to pay KSH. 1,050 (£6) which we could not afford. Pendekezo Letu supported me by paying the fee, and that day I went home holding my birth certificate for the first time in my life. I was so happy. The certificate enabled me to join formal school and meet new friends.
When I got my birth certificate, I could not stop smiling! I knew that I finally exist as a citizen of Keyna. I knew it meant I will join a formal school, people would now know who I am, my age…and I felt very proud. I felt like my future had just begun.
It is true that that a birth certificate makes someone feel part of something. I am a proud Kenyan, and my birth certificate is the evidence.”
Pictured below: (L) Mwangaza holding her artwork. (R) Mwangaza taking part in a project activity.
Learning And Growing
Since obtaining her birth certificate and enrolling in a formal school, everything has changed for Mwangaza. She now walks to school with excitement, interacts with other children, and actively participates in child rights sessions.
Now in Grade 5, her school performance has improved greatly, she is eager to learn, confident and happy. Mwangaza shares:
“I love going to school. Here, it’s not like the previous (non-formal) school that I attended. Here we learn better, and there are enough items for learning. The teachers are nice and I have good friends.
I like to sing… it makes me happy. I also like to save money so I can do something important with it. I dug a small hole behind our house to keep my money safe, but it was not very secure. Now, because I have a birth certificate my aunt can help me open a savings account at a bank so that my money is safe.”
Pictured below: (L) Mwangaza holds her birth certificate (R) Mwangaza with her cousins.
Looking To The Future With Hopes And Dreams
Looking to the future, Mwangaza has big dreams:
“I admire doctors, the way they dress, and the care they give to patients. I wish that one day I will wear the white coat I have always admired. I will study hard so that I can have enough money to support my grandmother. I would also wish to help children who do not have people to care for them…or whose parents don’t have enough money. With my birth certificate I can become the person I want to be in the future.”
Mwangaza's journey is now defined by hope, determination and the belief that her dreams are possible. When asked what she would tell other street children, Mwangaza answered:
“I would tell them not to give up. Having a birth certificate is a right that everyone is entitled to. It will help open doors to your dreams”.