SFK progress report from Kenya
Programme: Scholarships for kids
Location: Nairobi, Kenya -- project to eventually impact across Kenya
Report Period: March 2008 – September 2008
This summary report will highlight the following areas:
- Brief of the project
- Progress on scholarship programme
- Identification of the Beneficiaries
- Induction workshop
- Scholarships Funds
- SFK Statistics
- Facilities in need of improvement
1. The Brief
Project Objective
Scholarships for Kids (SFK) was introduced to address the rising cases of children from informal settlements (shanty towns) not accessing education due to "barriers to entry". Some of the barriers to entry included the requirement for uniforms and the level of stigma associated with living in informal settlements.
The SFK project also had the objective of enhancing KISA in its advocacy role for private schools.
SFK commenced its activities in March 2008 and the following is a report on the achievements and challenges.
2. Progress
KISA has continued to undertake the advocacy role for the benefit of the members. The main mandate of KISA has been to ensure that issues for independent schools serving the disadvantaged communities are addressed. There is recognition that these schools are addressing a need within the communities and contributing towards the education master plan for Kenya and the Millennium Development Goals, especially on education for all.
The SFK strategy has been instrumental in addressing the efficient administration of a Scholarship programme. To implement effectively, it was important that an efficient administrative structure be put in place
SFK has therefore carried out the following :
Hired a local Coordinator
Through KISA, SFK has managed to hire an experienced, professional local Coordinator who facilitates the implementation of the project. The Coordinator performs daily tasks and recruits scholarship beneficiaries with assistance from KISA executive and other project stake holders such as head teachers.
Provided state of the art IT Facilities.
To enhance effective communication, administration and data security SFK has provided laptop computers, back up media and internet facilities.
Purchased a Motor Vehicle
SFK has provided to its staff a project vehicle, this has improved the day to day operation of the scholarships programme. The vehicle has enabled the Coordinator to visit scholarship beneficiaries (schools and kids) more regularly for project evaluation and monitoring.
3. Methodologies used in identifying SFK beneficiaries
3.1 Identification of Schools.
The key elements used in the selection of schools include:
- Government statistics – poverty and HIV/AIDS: One of the key factors that KISA considered in the selection of the region and the schools to be included in the scholarship programme was the government statistics in relation to poverty and HIV/AIDS. The areas that were selected had the highest poverty indices and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. In Kenya, there are approximately, 1.1 million children that have been orphaned (80% due to HIV/AIDS ).
- Visits to identify areas suffering from a high level of poverty: The KISA chairman then made visits to these areas accompanied by the Scholarship Coordinator to ascertain the prevalence of poverty and orphans (especially due to HIV/AIDS) in schools which were KISA members. All the schools selected for this project were from within the informal settlements (slums).
- Reports from members schools on the social and economic status of the areas: The reports from members were also assessed to determine the schools that had high drop out rates due to school fees or high default rates of school fees payments (despite being modest amounts).
- Overall Performance: The overall academic performance of the schools also formed a key criterion in the selection process . The 10 best performers and 10 best upcoming performers were selected for this project.
3.2 Identification and recruitment
The critical elements that were utilized in selecting beneficiaries of the SFK programme included:
- KISA membership Areas: The children were identified in areas covered by member schools.
- Social Economic Status: The head teachers/ managers were used to identify the children that were unable to pay school fees. They gave an overall view of the economic status of the children. The teachers presented the class performance sheets for the children.
- The parents/guardians: The guardians were interviewed to ascertain the socioeconomic status of the children. They also made a commitment that the children selected would not drop out of school.
- The children: The children gave personal information on their interests and ambitions.
- The head teachers were interviewed to ascertain student fees and the cost of running their schools.
4. Induction Workshop
Prior to the disbursement of scholarship fees to beneficiary schools, SFK in partnership with KISA executives organized a workshop for head teachers and school managers. The workshop was to create awareness on the importance of utilizing scholarship funds and to explain that SFK wanted to work with schools to ensure that they would constantly improve their facilities for the benefit of their students.
Head teachers and school managers who attended SFK induction workshop
SFK and KISA has put in place strategies and guidelines for scholarship programme evaluation and monitoring to ensure that the project is achieving its objectives as described by its vision and motto.
5. Scholarships Funds
So far cheques have been distributed to the twenty selected schools and beneficiaries are enjoying their schooling without fear of being sent home due to lack of school fee. The impact on kids is that it should help improve their performance due to enhanced class work and consistent class attendance.
6. SFK Statistics
SFK has started with 20 schools in Nairobi and plans to expand to other regions in Kenya. In each school SFK is currently sponsoring 50 bright and needy kids. Below is a statistic for the kids in the SFK programme.
SFK supported orphans = 196
SFK widowed kids = 105
SFK single parent kids = 197
SFK kids with both parents but very needy = 502
Total number of SFK beneficiary kids = 1,000
7. Facilities in need of improvement
Below is a list of items which are urgently needed in KISA member schools:
- Text books
- Wall charts
- Black board rulers
- Marker pens
- Biro pens
- Writing paper
- Chalk
- Fiction books
- Geometry sets
- Computers
- Additional desks and tables
- Additional sanitary facilities and clean water