Sheila comes from Tura Village in Ahero, Kisumu County.
Tura is a remote village in Kisumu County in western Kenya bordering Lake Victoria. The village has approximately 2600 residents whose main economic activities are subsistence farming and fishing.
Sheila’s father’s death dealt a heavy blow to the family, and her mother’s small shop could not generate enough income to cover her school fees.
Through a DREAMS program, she pursued a course in Mechanical and Motor Vehicle Engineering.
Sheila now works as a mechanic at a local garage located in the juakali (informal) sector of Kisumu city.
She makes enough money to support her sick mother and younger siblings and plans to sit for her Grade 3 certification exam soon.
“I was in a place where I could not be seen but I am now visible."
Sheila
Girls with DREAMS
This profile is taken from the PEPFAR Kenya “Our Lens Sauti Zetu (Our Voices)” photo book — a compilation of images captured by DREAMS girls highlighting their own stories.
The following DREAMS girls were the eyes behind the lens and beautifully captured the stories of the young women featured in the project: Dorcas Akinyi Onyango, Agnes Wanjiru Mugure, Flovian Atieno, Faith Akumu, Francisca Ndinda, Effie Awino, Fatuma Lando, Dorothy Oyuga, Linet Odira, Hellen Atieno.
Text and images from “Our Lens Sauti Zetu (Our Voices)” are used with permission from PEPFAR Kenya. Learn more about Girls with DREAMS.