Giving the gift of knowledge to every child

Over the years, Kenya's economy has suffered from drought, political problems, water and energy rationing, and diminished agricultural production.  Since 1960, we have helped more than 1.1 million Kenyan people improve their lives to ensure a brighter future for themselves and their country.

Every day, countless girls from Kenya’s Maasai tribe are “booked” or claimed for marriage before they are even born.  We may not be able to change the custom but we are changing the end of the story. We are booking these children for school instead.  Just like in the marriage agreement, we offer a dowry of donated livestock and gifts to the child’s father.  Rather than denying the girl’s freedom to choose who and when she marries, the dowry gives her the freedom to go to school.  350 girls are already enrolled and boarded in the Naning'oi School; more than 500 more are booked and waiting until they are old enough to attend school.

"When my mother was about six months pregnant with me, a man my father had promised to give a wife to, to  perpetuate their friendship came over and smeared fresh cow dung on her belly.  From then, the contract was sealed.  I was to be born his wife.” -Rebecca, 15

We believe that the education of Kenya’s children – both girls and boys – must begin early and be holistic in its approach.  Our Early Childhood Development (ECD) program includes three primary components:

· Child health and nutrition – Volunteers regularly monitor the height and weight of children under five.

· Caregivers –While formal training for preschool teachers is provided by the Kenya Ministry of Education, we provide training for caregivers in national and district ECD centers as well as training for grandparents and volunteer mothers (caregivers’ equivalent to Guide Mothers).

· Preschool learning tools – We teach parents and teachers to make toys and learning materials for preschools.

Nomadic, pastoral communities need their youth to herd and help with other day-to-day responsibilities and cannot spare these essential workers to go to school.  We enlist volunteer teachers to teach an evening program called Lchekuti (meaning education for the herdsmen). 

“Walk a Mile in Their Shoes,” shows a typical Kenyan classroom, including stories about the lengths that Kenyan children go for an education. Displayed in museums across the nation, this program serves a dual purpose. It allows children in the United States to see education through the eyes of a culture very different from their own.  But more importantly, when the actual elements of the exhibit – blackboard, worn desks, threadbare maps – are removed from classrooms, they are replaced with new, updated furniture and resources for the Kenyan school children.

Quality of life means access to resources

Over the years, Kenya has endured recurring drought and famine.  These plights are devastating for every citizen of the country, but especially for the most vulnerable members of society: the children, the elderly and women who are pregnant.  To minimize the impact of drought, we are drilling wells as well as providing drip irrigation across Kenya.  Food security measures also help ensure that there is plenty of food for everyone every day.

But for the people of Kenya to truly improve their quality of life, they need access to money. A voluntary loan program encourages small community groups to pool their savings, offering this money in the form of loans to fellow members of the group.  Money is repaid with interest and as the savings, along with this interest, grows in the “community bank,” there’s more money to lend. Peer pressure within the group ensures accountability and timely repayment from members. 

In light of the violence following the country’s December 2007 presidential, parliamentary and civic elections, we have created protective environments for children and helped communities cope with the crisis.  Additional initiatives include peace schools in areas of tribal conflict, malaria prevention and community-based approaches for HIV/AIDS.

Every day, we work to give the Kenyan people all of the opportunities that they need and deserve.  Help us ensure that Kenya has health, happiness and hope for the future.