Hello! Lenana Girls High School in Kitale, Kenya, is PROUD to announce the results of its Ninth Annual Writing Competition! Below is Michelle’s essay, one of three First Place winners. She writes advocating for a fair and just rule of law in her hometown and gives strong examples of why the current system is failing and how it could better serve her community as a whole and especially people charged with a crime.

We always highlight our favorite quotes from each of the students’ essays. As is our tradition, their teacher reads each quote out loud for them to identify! Here’s the selection we chose from Michelle’s essay:

“So, writing this, I wish that my community would trust in the law to deliver justice and the best solution, for surely there is always a better way to deal with criminals other than murdering them. Whatever they have done does not disqualify them from being human and for sure does not make them uncorrectable.”

We’ll post more thought-provoking, insightful essays as we receive donations toward our latest project, manufacturing safe, eco-friendly cook stoves to stop women and children from inhaling the harmful fumes from open fires.

Thank you for taking the time to read Michelle’s essay and for all your support over the past 12 years that Lift the Lid has encouraged and in many cases, made it possible for impoverished children to achieve their education.

You’ll find secure options for making a tax-deductible donation here:
https://www.lift-the-lid.org/how-it-works/donate/