Humu's parents divorced when she was 3. Her father abandoned them and provides no support. Her mother remarried but due to cultural rules couldn't bring another man's child into the home and so she also has abandoned Humu.

Humu was taken into the care of her elderly, blind grandmother. Her grandmother is unable to work and her only source of income is begging. From an early age Humu would lead her around town, through the main markets and in and out of busy junctions to beg at cars stopped at traffic lights. Often they would start on the streets at 7.30am and not finish until 9pm. They earned barely enough to survive.

Humu was spotted by a Youth Alive field worker and brought under our education project. She undertook a year and a half of preparatory classes with Youth Alive, to reach a level where she could fit back into mainstream school, but also to help her to escape a childhood of "street culture". For Humu the idea of sitting down all day, taking instructions, recognizing what a school bell means and even playing with other children was very foreign. Humu was very shy at first but this preparation has made it a much smoother transition from the streets into school and Humu, now 8 years old, was enrolled in formal school in September 2008.

"I like school and playing with my friends. I'm going to be a nurse when I grow up."