Background Info
Hellen Akoth was born on 24th December 2015 in Nakuru, Kenya. She is the third child of Eveline Auma. Hellen has three siblings; a brother (Simon) and two sisters (Joanes and Josephne). Hellen currently lives with her siblings and single mother in Kwa-Rhonda slum.
Eveline Auma (Hellen's mother) is 36 years old. she dropped out of school when she was 12 years after the death of her parents and later lived with relatives. Hellen's mother met her first husband Bernard Ouma when she was a teenager. Unfortunately, Bernard died after the birth of Eveline's first child.
Eveline later met Hellen’s father Robert Oduor and settled with him in Nakuru County. Robert wanted children, specifically sons, but Eveline could only bear females. Robert was frustrated. He thought that Eveline was cursed. In the Luo culture, a male child is more highly esteemed than the female one. This situation in the family forced Robert to look for another woman. Before abandoning Eveline for his second love, he had become violent and irresponsible. Hellen’s mother moved to the slums with her four children.
The poverty stricken home in which Hellen lived proved to be unconducive for her mental and physical development. Mentally, because of the trauma that would haunt her as a result of her parents unprecedented separation. Physically, Hellen appeared to be famished due to lack of enough food. Hellen and her siblings could only eat when their mother was lucky enough to get a casual job. Eveline tried to start a small grocery business in the slum but the business did not succeed. This was because the family fully depended on the meagre profits from the small business.
Hellen’s case was referred to us by her teacher (Kibowen Komen primary school) who noticed that Hellen was malnourished and did not attend school regularly. Edgel Mission assessed Hellen Akoth and found her case very needy. She was admitted to Edgel Mission in 2022.
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