Challenge

In rural Kenya, where many families have lower incomes, it is difficult to send children to high school, yet a high school education is necessary to access many jobs in Kenya. As a result many children are never able to realize their full academic potential and are limited in the types of careers they can pursue. As David, a 2010 scholarship winner said, "When in primary school, I thought I didn't have any chance of secondary education and thought my education was over."

Solution

Each year we provide the 2 boys and 2 girls in the Elangata Wuas region with the highest academic performance graduating from primary school with a full four year scholarship to the high school of their choice. These scholarships give students who may have been unable to afford the cost of a high school education the ability to earn their high school diploma, without the worry that they may have to drop out before finishing the full four year program due to the financial burden of school fees.

Long-Term Impact

The region surrounding Elangata Wuas has been suffering from increased droughts in recent years which has had a severe impact on a community economically centered around livestock. Livelihood diversity is a key in the region and earning a high school education provides greater potential to access and create jobs. For children in Elangata Wuas the chance to attend high school means a chance to broaden not only their academic horizons but also their job prospects.

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources