Meet Ruth
Mother is in jail for abandoning Ruth and younger brother Alex. The sibling's father is old and jobless, and therefore unable to care for his children. At age 7, Ruth attends primary school with m any of the other boarders at B.O.C. Ruth's english and kiswahili are quite advanced for her age, as her native language is Kikuyu. (Kikuyu is the native language of all the children at B.O.C.) When she isn't in school, Ruth loves to play with the other children at B.O.C. Consequently, Ruth has had to take on the role of a mother to her 2 1/2 year old brother, Alex. Though her play time is often interrupted by Alex's needs, Ruth never complains and is always there to offer her hand and comfort her brother in any way that she can.