Ask young people in Kibera who made the difference and they rarely name a program. They name a person. An aunt who asked about school every single week. A coach who noticed when they went quiet. An older student who showed them how to fill in a form. One adult who stayed.

That is what mentorship is, stripped of the big words. It is not lectures and it is not money. It is a steady adult who is interested in you, keeps showing up, and expects good things from you when you have stopped expecting them from yourself.

When we ask young people what their mentor did, the answers sound alike. She did not tell me what to do; she asked what I wanted and then helped me get there. He remembered what I said last time. I did not want to let her down, so I went back to school. Being remembered is a powerful thing when you are used to being overlooked.

Good mentors keep a few rules. They listen more than they talk. They are honest about their own mistakes. They keep their promises, especially the small ones, because that is where trust is built. And they know when to bring in someone else, a counsellor, a teacher, a doctor, instead of trying to be everything.

Our peer mentorship program pairs young people in Kibera with trained mentors. If you would like a mentor, or would like to become one, write to info@kibrayouthnetwork.org.