NAIROBI, Nov. 19 -- Gloria Mboga's charm, wit and eloquence is beyond her tender age and these attributes have earned her admiration from next of kin, friends and neighbours.

The eight-year-old girl is a heroine to her peers in her community as she defied economic circumstance and hostile environment to cherish formal education that will one day open new horizons.

Mboga, daughter of a widow, was in ecstatic mood when Xinhua visited her home at Kawangware, a low-income settlement located in the northwest of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

"I would like to be a doctor in future to treat the sick and needy people. My proficiency in mathematics, languages and sciences place me at a better position to pursue this career," Mboga told Xinhua.

Her audacity was evident as she revealed the long cherished dream of pursuing a career in medicine.

Mboga and her nine-year-old brother, Mike Salamu, attend a low-cost private school in Kawangware. She said that the schools' administrators provide a conducive environment for learning and are strict on discipline to ensure every pupil become a top scorer.

"Our school provides nutritious meals, and there is plenty of time to play and mingle with teachers. Both girls and boys are performing well," said Mboga.

Though the Friends Children's Center where Mboga and her brother study charge a minimum fee to cater for tuition and meals, raising tuition fee has been a herculean task for Mboga's widowed mother who earns a pittance as a cleaner.

"I'm willing to study hard and achieve my dream and request well-wishers to assist in paying school fees. The head teacher ordered parents to clear fees arrears failure to which learning will be terminated," Mboga said.

Like many city-born children, Mboga desires to enroll in a boarding school at the upper primary level. She is convinced that a boarding school offers boundless opportunities for a young and ambitious learner.

"My only wish is that my mother will one day secure enough resources to enable me to study in a boarding school. It is the ultimate destination for children who aim to become achievers," said Mboga.

Poverty, limited exposure and lack of role models have often sapped the energy and determination of under-privileged Kenyan children.

Despite the enactment of comprehensive policies and legislation, poor Kenyan children trail behind their richer counterparts in terms of access to quality education, health and social protection.

Mboga and her brother belong to the category of orphaned and vulnerable children who have limited opportunities in life.

Experts who spoke to Xinhua stressed that affirmative action is crucial to ensure children from poor backgrounds have access to quality education that would guarantee them gainful employment.

"Our destiny as a nation is at stake if we give children a lip service. The state must invest in child welfare programs, and initiate new laws to protect them from abuse and marginalization," remarked Somoni Birundu, a governance expert.

The significance of Universal Children's Day observed on Nov.20 might sound abstract to Mboga and her peers, yet it is meant to devote special attention to their plight.

When Xinhua asked Mboga's brother, Mike Salamu, whether he was aware of this day, the nine-year old was fidgety but stated that children deserves better care and protection from the state.

"We need modern schools, fully-equipped and with ample playing space to enable us to study without inhibitions," Salamu said. The boy has overcome the emotional trauma of losing his father in last year's Westgate attack, and has cultivated a healthy relationship with peers.

Financially-challenged Kenyan parents are unbowed in their quest to have their children pursue their dreams. Eunice Khavetsa, the 27-year-old mother of Mboga and Salamu, vowed to ensure her offspring obtained a good education despite financial hiccups.

"Bringing up morally sound and bright children is my ultimate goal. I will use available resources to ensure these children succeed in life," said Khavetsa.