Maendeleo Education Program

In 2017 Maendeleo started the Maendeleo Education Program.We offer bright students from underprivileged families the opportunity to  study at secondary education, college or university. The Program does not only support the students financially but they also get personal guidance from mentors.

In the first year the program could offer 15 students to continue their studies in secondary school.  We are proud that this number could almost be doubled already in 2018.  And 4 students were enrolled in university. The students who are eligible for the Program are selected on the basis of criteria – motivation, need and an average grade of minimal C+.

Personal guidance via the mentoring program. In the one hand the challenge for the students is financial, but another – often underestimated – is the lack of support from the home front, caused by ignorance and incomprehension from parents or guardians. To compensate for this we have set up the mentoring program.  With experience-experts Boniface, Solomon and Jane as mentors. They provide individual guidance and coaching of the students. During the holidays workshops are organized, with themes as career and study planning, as well as personal themes (e.g. bullying).

Background:  secondary and tertiary education often not affordable. Fees for Secondary schools (often boarding schools), colleges and universities in Kenya are between €400 and €600 per year, excluding books. Students  in boarding schools have to pay additionally for provisions, such as mattress, cutlery, excursions, transportation, etcetera. Many families cannot afford such amounts. Through enabling students to follow further education, they have a better chance of landing well paying jobs, and later help their families and communities.

 Vocational training For adolescents that do not qualify for further academic education and from very needy families, the Maendeleo Education Program looks  sometimes for vocational training opportunities.

A good example is Mariam.  Her mum is a HIV-positive single mother,  has five children and no job. Mariam came from the Port Reitz school with a lower score than the minimum for acceptance for secondary school. With our help she followed a hairdresser course in 2017. She now has a job in a salon and supports her family.