2023 School Scholarship programs

The ECC Scholarship Program in Kenya has been rolled out. The program has benefited 37 students from four primary schools that ECC has been partnering with. These are Kanjeru Primary School (14 beneficiaries), Waitua Primary School (11 beneficiaries), St. Anne Primary School (6 beneficiaries), and Mutunkei Primary School (6 beneficiaries). All beneficiary students have just started their freshman year of high school (known as Form One in Kenya). The program will cost $21,600 in 2023. Almost all the students selected attained grades B and above in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.

Waitua Primary School in Murang’a County

When Kenya Certificate of Primary Education results were announced, Waitua was the leading school in the school zone. The school recorded the best performance in 20 years. We believe that the scholarship program coupled with the feeding program which began in 2019 has led to record academic performance in the school. Since ECC began its partnership with the Waitua school in 2019, the school has been improving in all aspects from academic performance, declining absenteeism, reduced illnesses and malnutrition.

In Waitua, twenty students out of a class of 50 students expressed interest in the ECC scholarship. the teachers and the head of Parents, Teachers Association went door to door at the homes of students to do background checks of students and ascertain their level of need. From the list of 20 students we were able to select 11 most needy students who had not received other scholarships.

We later organized a cheques issuing day and invited beneficiary students and their parents. The day was overwhelming. Teachers, Parents and students were overcome with joy, others cried. All the parents did not have money to take their kids to boarding high schools. Their option was to take their kids to day schools which are cheaper. It was a big sigh of relief for teachers who year in year out have been helplessly watching their bright students go to low quality day high schools due to lack of fees.

The cost of admitting a student for Term One ranged from $ 400 to $ 450. This amount was not affordable for most parents. The children and parents are very grateful to ECC for the generous support.

The students, parents and teachers of St Anne School were equally happy for the six scholarships that they got. Ordinarily kids from poor backgrounds in Kenya go to local day high schools which charge cheaper and the quality or education is lower. The support from ECC is a game changer to many homes which previously could not afford to take their children to boarding schools. In other words, the siblings of the students who graduated before were not as lucky as them.

Kanjeru Primary School in Kiambu County

Scholarships are not new to Kanjeru Primary school. In its entire history, teachers have been seeking well wishers to assist needy students who are primarily drawn from the nearby slum known as ‘Shauri’ sadly not too many well wishers are available neither are the scholarships forthcoming leaving many students as drop outs from secondary education. These children end up as teenage mothers and the boys end up in robberies and drugs.

The ECC scholarship program was announced early last year which had the impact of fostering a competitive and hardworking spirit in the school. Indeed the school performed excellently in the 2022 national exam.

The process of selecting successful candidates was both rigorous and emotional. Emotional since the need outweighed the provision. As late as the day after issuing cheques the teachers were fundraising for another candidate who had just lost her caregiver dashing her dreams and hopes. Home visits were made and interviews with guardians to corroborate the information. There are horror stories of the abject poverty that we can’t even share here coming from the visits. It was not uncommon for the teachers to fundraise for food in some of the homes they visited. Kanjeru’s case was special and the board approved for extra help to be given to assist the children buy some basics such as shoes, toiletries and inner wear.

The news of the scholarship program has spread wide in the community. We hope the school shall attract higher admission rates and improve performance as a result. The community is forever grateful  to the ECC fraternity for their generosity.

Mutunkei Primary School in Kajiado County

This process of identifying students took almost 2 weeks. Kids walked almost 10km daily to school. The terrain is rough, hilly in some sections and dusty all day long. When it rains, walking 10km can take over 3 hours in the muddy black cotton soil. Some parents live in very dilapidated conditions. Some are immigrants from other parts of Kenya and others are local Maasai families. Some kids have only single mothers who literally scavenge for a living. Some parents are outright poor. Some kids have absentee fathers and the mothers struggle to meet their basic needs. It was a tough experience visiting all the homes, with the distances involved. The headteacher and senior teachers accompanied me on the trips. Some trips were done at night. Some trips late afternoons. Photos were taken against each child at school and home.

Upon qualifying for the scholarship program which included the entire fees for the year and additional basic school requirements, some parents simply could not believe it. Joy, celebration and deep gratitude were expressed. At least, their kids were going to high school. For some parents, none of their older children had ever managed to go to high school before, due to lack of fees.

Upon receiving the school fees checks, proof of receipt documents were signed. In the documents, both parents and beneficiaries agreed that every end term, performance reports and report cards will be made available for scrutiny to the school headteacher and KMAP. It was made clear that any underperforming student will be dropped from the program. This is to encourage hard work. I am truly excited to be part of these great effort to elevate the needy of the needy.

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