Education Opportunities

Education is a key element for empowering the children of Kenya with hope for the future. While the Kenyan government supports education, funds for adequate facilities, teachers, and infrastructure are sorely lacking. As a result, many schools have conditions that are not conducive to a heathy and productive learning. Medical clinics are often full of sick and dying students. Plus, many children are not able to attend school due a lack of financial resources for school fees, uniforms etc.

SOHI is partnering with the community to ensure that all schools have sufficient clean water, toilet facilities and sanitation & health training to improve the health of the children as well as their focus and learning capabilities. SOHI has also created the Educational Sponsorship Program. Sponsorships are child-specific with donations given monthly. Funds pay for uniforms, fees and other necessities that allow children to attend school.

Child Sponsorship

HIV/Aids has ravished the region leaving only a small percentage of living parents between the ages of 30 and 45. This has created a tragic situation where thousands of children are orphaned. The children are left as “child head of household”, homeless, or living with aged grandparents that don’t have the resources to support them. Primary education is “free” in Kenya, but student’s must pay fees for school uniforms, books, and other supplies to make it possible for them to attend.

Another factor keeping some from school is that they may needed to fetch water from several kilometers away and help with the farm. These dynamics add up to a situation where too large a share of the children either miss school regularly or don’t attend at all.

Funds for child sponsorship are used to pay school fees and other expenses that allow regular school attendance. School administrators praise the improvements resulting from SOHI child sponsorship’s to date. They are resulting in a much higher percentage of girls being able to attend school (and they are excelling!) as well as much higher academic tests scores.

Sponsorship of a child dramatically improves her or his prospects for the future a personal victory that also leads to sustainable improvements for the community. The cost is $35/month per child.

"I Was Thirsty" Campaign

SOHI raised $380,000 to complete much-needed improvements on 41 different schools in the region. This provided latrines, rainwater catchment systems, and health training.

Facilities

The public schools in the area are sorely underfunded. This is evidenced by the fact that in many schools, walls are falling down, children are meeting under trees due to lack of classrooms, desks, text books, library books, etc. The community believes very much in education and is supportive of the schools, but the poverty is so extreme that they can only help in small ways. Funds donated to school facilities will be used on a prioritized basis to assist with needed upgrades and materials. Needs range from $50 to $7,000 for a classroom; so, any amount helps.