Early life
“My name is Mika . I was born in 2009. I am 16 years old. I come from Dodoma region. In my family we are four children. I am a last child. I have two sister and one brother in all we are two boys and two girls. “
Mika’s parents died when he was very young and he went to live with his grandmother. She helped him to attend primary school even though she did not have enough money to buy school supplies for Mika and could not pay for him to complete the exams. From a very young age, Mika tried to work to raise enough money for books, uniform and exams as well as for food for them both but he couldn’t raise enough to study properly or provide enough to keep their hunger at bay.
“I was wake up at 5:00am to find the work per day. I was get 10000 tsh (Tanzanian Shillings) this money I was using to buy food and the supplies for school and examination. Sometimes I was going to school two days. I wanted to leave the school, but my grandmother told me I should not leave the school I have to continue to study.”
Life at school
Most days Mika and his grandmother were desperately hungry, only able to eat two or three days each week. When Mika eventually finished his primary school (standard seven) he was proud to pass the examination and hoped to go onto secondary school
“I performed the exam. My grandmother said congratulations my grandson I said thank you grandmother without you I cannot finish my studies. She told me to go to find the work so as to get money to start the small business. I asked her how about the secondary school she told me I don’t have a money. And then I continued with a small work for three month until December 2024.”
Luckily for Mika that month he met the Sisters of Mary. They were deeply moved by Mika’s difficulties and able to offer him a place at their new school in Dodoma. He joined in January 2025. “I said thank you god and all the people who love me and thanks to the Sisters for their good heart here at the Sisters of Mary boys’ town school. Thank you so much, may god bless you.”