scholarship programme
The aim of our scholarship programme is to tackle the two key problems associated with education in Western Kenya: The expense of sending a child to school and the high school drop-out rates.
| Duration: January 2007 - ongoing Donor: Chello Foundation / Individuals Budget: £263,300 Beneficiaries: 425 orphans and their households |
Our programme works with local communities to identify children most adversely affected by disease and poverty, and then works to support these children in attending school and achieving good grades.We do this by paying for their school fees and allowances for school uniforms, other items needed for school (shoes, bags, pens, books etc) and through household support for the family or guardian of the scholar. We guarantee funding and support to our scholars and their households for either four years (primary and secondary education scholars) or two years (for polytechnic scholars).
|
The support we provide to households improves the situation of the families, allowing the children to go to school well rested and fed. We began distributing these comprehensive scholarships in 2007 taking 6 children through school with support from private individuals. In 2008 we expanded the programme with 85 children, leaving us with a total of 91 children in school. In 2009 we took an additional 195 children to school. As a result, we now have 111 primary school scholars. 61 secondary school scholars and 29 polytechnic scholars. Around half of our scholars are boarders. We have scholars from Bondo, Rarieda and Siaya districts. We closely monitor the progress of the children, through receiving formal school rerports, as well as engaging in dialogue with the schools and the households of the children. Our close relationships with the children allow us to most effectively support the children and their households through activities such as income generating actvities (e.g. selling of fish or vegetables to earn a sustainable income).
Aside from providing children an opportunity for education, our conversations with the families, communities and schools suggest that the impact of the programme is far more widespread. The income generating activities we encourage and support guardians to engage in, empowers them to make an impact on their families through the provision of food and other needs. Communities benefit as the yare released of the burden trying to raise sufficient funds to send children to school. Schools that would otherwise be short of funds due to otherwise late or unreliable payment of fees, benefit through our prompt and full payment.
Aside from providing children an opportunity for education, our conversations with the families, communities and schools suggest that the impact of the programme is far more widespread. The income generating activities we encourage and support guardians to engage in, empowers them to make an impact on their families through the provision of food and other needs. Communities benefit as the yare released of the burden trying to raise sufficient funds to send children to school. Schools that would otherwise be short of funds due to otherwise late or unreliable payment of fees, benefit through our prompt and full payment.
