Looking back, Simon identifies two catastrophic moments that conspired to ruin his academic prospects. The first was in 2002 when his father abandoned the family home, never to return, leaving a pregnant wife and eight children.
The second was when his uncle, who sponsored him through school after his father's disappearance, unexpectedly announced that he could no longer afford to pay the fees, forcing Simon to give up his education. Since that day two years ago he has stayed at home (a huddle of four thatched mud-brick huts), helping to tend the family's fields. He is educated enough to feel frustrated by his fate, but not sufficiently qualified to have many other options for the future.
Christmas appeal 2009: 'I want an education. I want to change my life' | Katine | The Observer
