Stalon Adika

Dream Deferred: The Story of Stalon Adika

In the heart of Kibra, amidst the chaos and struggles of daily life, lies the poignant tale of Stalon Adika, a young boy with aspirations as towering as the Nairobi skyline yet shackled by the harsh realities of poverty. Stalon’s journey epitomizes both the resilience of the human spirit and the crushing weight of societal inequality.

Raised in a vulnerable family, Stalon’s upbringing revolves around the tireless efforts of his mother, who toils in menial jobs to put food on the table and dreams in her children’s hearts. With a sibling by his side, Stalon traverses the dusty streets of Kibra, his eyes ablaze with a fervent desire to break free from the cycle of poverty and make a mark on the world.

From a tender age, Stalon harbored a singular dream – to become an engineer, to mold the world with the power of his intellect and the sweat of his brow. But dreams, in Kibra, often crumble like dried leaves in the wind, crushed under the weight of hunger and deprivation.

Despite the odds stacked against him, Stalon emerged triumphant in his KCPE/Class 8 exams in 2021, a testament to his indomitable will and unwavering determination. Yet, the path to higher education remained veiled in shadows, obscured by the specter of poverty.

For three long years, Stalon’s dreams lay dormant, his aspirations cast aside like forgotten relics of a bygone era. It was not until 2024 that a beacon of hope pierced through the gloom, in the form of Evelina Ndilu, the director of the Educational Support program.

With compassion and determination, Evelina reached out to Stalon, offering him the lifeline he desperately needed for the first academic term as she hoped to find a well wisher who would help Adika’s Educational dream in the long run. For the first time in years, Stalon’s dreams flickered to life, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, as he embarked on his journey towards higher education.

But amidst the glimmer of hope, a shroud of sadness lingers, a reminder of the countless other children like Stalon, whose dreams remain trapped in the suffocating embrace of poverty.

As Stalon takes his first steps towards realizing his dreams, Each dawn he embarks on the arduous journey to school, his stomach gnawing with hunger, his spirit weighed down by uncertainty. Not once, not twice, but countless times, he sits through classes with an empty belly, his dreams flickering like a dying flame in the darkness, but still manages to keep on going with the hope of one day things will change.

It is our prayer and hope that Adika finds aid to complete his studies and achieve his dreams of becoming an engineer and change the life of others in kibra as he dreams.