Here’s what I don’t do on this blog…talk about what we’re
doing in Kenya. I’m not exactly
sure why that is. Maybe because
things move slowly here, or because I think most people get bored with updates,
or because I’m just not sure how to express what goes on in daily life
here. Whatever the reason, it’s
going to change. I want to share
more about what our team has been doing here and the ways we see God moving. I hope these updates and stories are
encouraging to you and give you a better picture about what you are or can be
supporting here in Kenya.
EDUCATION
The Problem:
Secondary school (high school) is very expensive for
families here in Kenya. For a
student starting high school it costs almost 20,000 Kenyan Shillings ($235 USD)
for their first year. Considering
the average income of a family in the IDP camps is around 120 shillings, it
would require 64% of their income to send one child to school for a year. This is magnified by the fact that most
of the families we work with don’t have consistent work and have multiple
children they are trying to put in school. Simply put, it’s impossible for most families to afford
schooling for their children.
Even though primary school (grades 1-8) is considerably
cheaper because the government helps by subsidizing costs, still many families
choose not to put their kids in school because of the strain it puts on
finances. Families are forced with
the decision of whether to put their children in school or provide food for
them. Many choose the latter and
have their children work in the shamba (garden) instead of pursuing an
education.
The Solution:
For primary school fees we’ve started a simple program where
parents can partner with us to make crafts and jewelry to offset the costs of
school fees. This is a solution
we’d like to expand where products can be sold in Kenya or in the US to raise
money for the fees. Currently we
are helping close to 30 kids with their school fees.
For secondary school we’re trying to setup a sponsorship
program. We started by helping a
couple youth ourselves, but soon realized the overwhelming need and our limited
funds. In the past few days though
we’ve had a number of people interested and have been able to help multiple
students get back into school.
Currently we are helping 6 students with continuing their education. If you’d like to help sponsor a student or be involved in any way, please contact me through the “Email Me” link on the left of this page. (Photo: One of the girls, Esther, and the principle at her new school.)
Primary and Secondary school is one form of education that
is in need of attention here in the IDP camps. Another type of education that has been neglected is discipleship. In the next blog I’ll talk more about
this issue and what we’re seeing God do in the area.
