Educate 900 Kenyan Children

Education is one of our core programme areas that have continued to positively impact in the lives of our children and young people who have the potential to thrive and succeed in life like the young man whom I requested to make an introduction! “Hello, my name is Chrispine, I am 20 years old. I am an orphan and I come from poor background being raised by my grandparent. I would like to share with you how (Kibera Mpira Mtaani) Kimmta Afterschool Programme has really transformed my life up to where I am today. I joined Kimmta in the year 2011 when I was in class seven and I really know how this project is meaningful. I can confidently assure you that Kimmta is the best place to be. The reason being that, it’s the only place you can find teachers helping students and they have one on one which is the best way to learn. We also have a lot of different books and other revision materials which has made this after school programme to be more efficient.”  Chris as who is a volunteer teacher has a fond memories of his time while student at Kimmta as he shared how the programmed supported them with school necessities and I quote “There was also provision of some school uniforms especially shoes and this I will never forget since I used those shoes for 3 good years. Last but not least Kimmta provides a conducive environment for studies and it has been one of the best places for excellence in term of education. I did my primary level joining high school still believing and trusting in Kimmta and besides education there is also empowerment club which is also useful to our lives.”

Chris as he commonly called dreamt of excelling academically because of the confidence he had put when he joined Kimmta and he is proud of the decision he made 6 years ago since he completed his form four (secondary school) and passed the national exams in 2016 thus qualified to join a public university in August to undertake a bachelor in Business Management. “I used to tell people that nothing is impossible just strengthen your foundation like I personally strengthened my foundation and Kimmta is behind my good performance.” Early this year, Chris decided to come and give back to the community and this is to become one of the volunteer teachers for after school program. He had an easy time assisting students since he believed that experience was the best teacher and he had total experience towards the living way in Kibera. He says “Kimmta is really helping and as I can compare the population during my time and now the population has really grown. The total is around 400 as u compare with our time which was less than 100. I love and respect this place and I believe it’s a place of transformations.” Chrispine has raised some of the funds he needs to start university but is still in need of 14,000ksh (£110, USD140). Can you help support a young man from Kibera who is doing positive things to change his life and his community?

The third and final term of the school calendar is finally here and learners have gone back to school for this term is shorter but important for candidates in class 8 and form 4 who are completing primary and secondary schools respectively. Parents were apprehensive in taking their children back to school due to election fever that has engulfed the Nation after the August general election. Some of the schools which were used as polling stations were destroyed during the post-election violence especially in the slums of Nairobi where some of the children we support come from.  The effect of violence is still in the minds of these little children and according to one of the primary teachers I spoke to recently said “since the school opened, the level of concentration among the children has gone down as they keep discussing on politics, violence that they witnessed and the upcoming presidential elections in October”.Although not all the counties experienced violence and destruction of properties, there is still tension as Kenyans awaits the second presidential election since Supreme Court nullified the August election. It is unfortunate that the media, and those running for electro offices have not considered the effect this election have had on our children since they are the most vulnerable thus what they see and hear shape their developing brains, leaving effects that last into adolenscence and adulhood.

Other news is that the after school programmes and the Early Child Education and Development centre are in session much as Kibera and other parts of the countries have been named as hotspot in regards to post-elections violence. The teachers reported a low turn up last week when schools opened but the numbers kept increasing hence this week their classes are full. The Kimmta ECD teacher also informed us that even the little ones are chatting on politics which leads to debate with regards to their preferred candidates. We have requested all our project partners to start a conversation with children with regards to their place in politics, the coming election and the impact on their education so as to dispel the fear in them. They are also to create awareness and work closely with parents to ensure that the children are restricted from accessing media channels that broadcast violence or attending political rallies that expose them to negative publicity towards different political class. We hope that schools will teach children for them to understand that the difference between politicians is not personal but based on ideas so as to reduce anxiety amongst and to enable them to concentrate with their academics.

I would like to sincerely thank you for your continued support for our education program since through your generous giving, many of our children and young people in disadvantage families are able to access reading and writing materials but also school necessities to enabled them perform well academically hence advance in their studies. We believe that through quality education, these children and young people will have the opportunity to thrive and succeed in future!