“I used to think being a man meant being tough and never crying. I sometimes bullied others to feel powerful. But through the Beacon Boys mentorship club at school, I learned that true strength is in being respectful and kind. We talk about real life—how to handle anger, how to treat girls, and how to be responsible. I now want to be a peer leader and mentor others too.”

“I had never held my own money before I joined the savings group. Every week we contributed KES 200. Caritas trained us on budgeting, record keeping, and business skills. Now, I have a poultry project with 35 hens. I sell eggs to local schools. I also bought my first gas cooker. We no longer depend only on our husbands. We are women with voice and value.”

“I was jobless for over a year after finishing Form Four. Depression hit me hard. Then I joined a youth group supported by Caritas Embu. We were trained on entrepreneurship and received a small loan through PROMIC. I started a motorbike repair shed. Within 6 months, I hired one more person and added a spare parts kiosk. Today, I am self-employed and helping others too. I feel like I have a future again.”

“Before Caritas came to our village, my harvests were poor and unpredictable. I used to rely only on maize, and when the rains failed, we went hungry. Through their agriculture training, I learned how to plant drought-resistant crops and make compost from kitchen waste. Today, my farm has spinach, sweet potatoes, and even pawpaws. For the first time, I sell extra produce at the market and pay school fees for my daughter. I now farm with knowledge, not just hope.”