Juliet of Suneka: A Story of Hope

by Jennifer Roth, Can Do Kids International Founder

From the Slums of Kenya to a Future Filled with Purpose

A story of resilience, redemption, and God’s powerful love

Juliet with her 3 younger siblings

When tragedy struck Juliet Kerubo Osoro’s young life, it could have ended in despair. Instead, her story became a living testimony to the power of hope—and to what can happen when God’s love and compassion crosses borders.

Juliet was born in Suneka, a small town in Kenya’s Kisii region, and grew up in Kibera, Africa’s largest slum. Her childhood was not one of abundance, but of closeness: neighbors who, she thought, looked out for each other, and mothers who dreamed of a better future for their children. Juliet’s mother was one of those women—strong, loving, and determined that her children would get an education and find a better life. Juliet’s mother had lived a life defined by both hardship and a quiet, stubborn hope.

Then, one night, when Juliet was fifteen, her mother was murdered. The violence that shattered their small home left Juliet with three younger siblings to care for—and a childhood abruptly stolen.

“I remember looking around and realizing there was no one else,” she recalls quietly. “I was sixteen. Suddenly, I had to find food, pay rent, keep everyone alive. I didn’t even know where to begin.” The neighbors who she thought would help, were in fact struggling themselves so much for survival that they did not have any hope or help to offer.

The next months blurred into a daily struggle. School became a distant memory; survival became the only goal. There were nights the family went to bed hungry and mornings they woke up hungrier still and feeling completely helpless. Yet, Juliet kept going—selling vegetables, washing clothes, doing whatever she could to keep her little family together and alive. 

In desperation, Juliet opened her heart enough to trust a man who promised to help and care for them. By this man,  she gave birth to a baby girl, Abijah, who was a joy to Juliet. The babe’s father, however, did not feel the joy and left.  

Juliet, again dug deep working all she could to provide for her family and thought life might begin to steady when tragedy struck again. Juliet’s baby daughter, Abijah, died before her first birthday. The grief was more than she thought she could bear.

“I didn’t want to live,” Juliet admits. “It felt like God had turned His face away from me.”

Jenni & Juliet when they first met in-person

A Divine Connection Across Continents

Across the world in the United States, another mother was also grieving. Jennifer Roth, founder of Can Do Kids International (CDKI), had recently lost her 21 year old daughter, Kristina, in a tragic accident. Seeking connection and comfort, Jennifer joined an online support group for grieving parents where she saw a post from Kenya:

“How do you finance the burial of a child if you have no money?” That question led Jennifer to Juliet.

Through CDKI’s partners in Kenya, she learned that Juliet’s story was heartbreakingly true. A teenager who had lost everything, now unable to bury her baby girl. Jennifer reached out and learned that Juliet not only needed help burying her daughter but also longed to finish high school and care for her siblings. Through CDKI sponsorship, that dream became possible.

God would weave two stories of loss and redemption into a tapestry of grace.

From Despair to Hope

With the help of CDKI sponsors, Juliet re-enrolled in high school. Thrilled to be back in the classroom, she worked hard at her studies.  Though the memories of her past were never far away, new hope was born - she was not alone.

In 2022, Juliet proudly completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). Her siblings—Obama, Sheilah, and Leah—are also thriving in school, supported through the ongoing generosity of CDKI sponsors.

Jennifer reflects on the connection that changed them both: “Without the death of my daughter, I would never have met Juliet,” she says. “To see God use Krista’s story to bring hope and life to another family gives me comfort in my grief.”

Juliet and Jenni with Jenni’s daughter Kayley, grandson and granddaughter.

Faith Restored, Purpose Found

Juliet’s story is now one of faith reborn. Her journey from loss to life has become the heart of her book in the making, Juliet of Suneka: A Story of Hope, where she shares how God used the kindness of strangers to rewrite her story.

She has learned that grief and grace can coexist—that even in the darkest valleys, God is still at work.

“Difficulties are for a season,” Juliet says. “The sadness and grief I was experiencing would not be permanent. My life had been scattered, but I could put the pieces back together again.”

“If you are at rock bottom,” she adds, “the only way you can go is up. Never lose hope. Have faith in God.”

Hope That Multiplies

Juliet’s brother, Obama, who is sponsored by CDK

Today, Juliet is on the path to studying law in the United States. Her dream is to advocate for children and families who, like hers once did, struggle against injustice and poverty. Her life is a living testimony to the power of compassion—and to the truth that hope multiplies when shared.

Through Can Do Kids International, countless other children in Kenya are finding their own paths to education, faith, and freedom. Juliet’s journey reminds us that God answers prayers through people—people willing to listen, to give, and to love.

That’s the mission of Can Do Kids International: empowering children through education, equipping communities with sustainable resources, and helping them experience God’s unconditional love.

In a world that can often feel cold and divided, one act of kindness bridged two continents and rewrote the story of a young woman who refused to give up. And that, perhaps, is the quiet miracle of Juliet’s life: that love—pure, relentless, and redemptive—can turn even the ashes of tragedy into something beautiful.

Join the Story

Juliet’s life changed because one person said yes.

Her story began in heartbreak—but through compassion, faith, and education, it became a story of redemption and hope.

You can be part of another child’s story.

By sponsoring a student through Can Do Kids International, you help rewrite futures—one act of love at a time.