Brian Otieno is in his 2nd year of high school and attends St. Augustine Boys High School. He was born in 1999 and began attending CGA in 2004. Brian’s father died when he was very small and his mother was left as a young widow at the age of 17.

Brian Otieno is currently in Form 2 which is his second year of high school. He attends St. Augustine Boys High School, which is located about 1.5 hrs from Mbita. He was born on the 28th of February 1999. He began attending CGA in 2004. Brian is the youngest of two children. His father died when he was very small. His mother, Dorothy, was left as a young widow at the age of 17. After one year the in-laws asked her to be inherited by another man. She refused so she left her late husband’s home and came back to her parent’s home with Brian and his older brother Phillip. This is very rare in this culture. Dorothy and her two sons were then under the care of her mother who is also a widow and struggling in life. Brian’s mother decided to go back to primary school beginning with the seventh grade. Because of this mother’s act of boldness, CGA decided to support her by offering both of her children a chance at Christ’s Gift Academy as sponsored children. Brian’s mother finished school and is happily married again with another baby. But Brian and his older brother Philip are still in the custody of their grandmother. Brian’s grandmother’s home is situated up the hill, a 30 minute walk to school and a 40 minute walk to the lake where they get water. They have no electricity in their village, so they use kerosene for lighting their little lamps. Brian sleeps with his brother on a mattress on the floor of his grandmother’s house. The house is a traditional African house with walls made of mud and a roof of iron sheets. There are two rooms inside. They cook in another small room that serves as a kitchen with charcoal. Brian is a very strong boy and loves school.