Mercy is a 22-year-old woman from Kenya. Her educational journey and social life have been significantly disrupted by progressive hearing loss. Her challenges began in 2023, while she was in Form Three in secondary school, when she suddenly lost hearing in her right ear. From that point onwards, she struggled to follow classroom discussions, understand her teachers, and participate fully in her studies. By the time she joined Form Four, her condition had considerably affected her academic performance. She found it increasingly difficult to comprehend lessons and interact with her classmates. Unfortunately, she also experienced stigma and social isolation because her peers did not understand her condition. This affected her confidence and emotional well-being, causing her to withdraw from friendships and social activities. Consequently, she performed poorly in her final examinations and had to repeat them, falling behind her peers.
In 2024, Mercy sought medical attention, and doctors recommended hearing aids to improve her hearing. However, her family could not afford the devices due to their difficult financial circumstances. Her father has been paralysed since 2011, leaving her mother as the sole provider for their family of five children. Her mother relies on casual farming, which provides only a limited and unreliable income to meet the family’s basic needs.
Despite these challenges, Mercy remained determined to pursue her education. However, her hearing condition continued to deteriorate, eventually affecting her left ear as well. She struggled to hear and understand her lecturers during lessons, making it increasingly difficult to keep up with her coursework and academic requirements. By her second year, her academic performance had declined significantly, and the challenges of communicating and interacting with fellow students became overwhelming. As a result, she made the difficult decision to defer her studies and has been out of school since July 2026.
In November 2026, Mercy visited our medical partner’s care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital. On November 11th, she will be fitted with hearing aids, which will help her improve her ability to hear, communicate, participate in social activities, and, most importantly, resume her education. She needs help raising $1,171 to help fund the cost.
“Being left behind by my peers academically and struggling to make friends because of my hearing condition has been very painful,” Mercy shared.