When Maisha first began operating in the village, most children could not speak English.
This was a problem, because Kenyan standardized tests are only offered in English. As a result, the few who were privileged to be in school rarely passed high school entrance exams. The Legacy of Hope Project started with only a few children and has grown tremendously. Here is a look at the current state of the project.
604 enrolled in project | 585 matched with sponsors
There are now a total of 604 students in the Legacy of Hope Project and 585 of those students are matched with sponsors for education. The other children attend school with the assistance of Maisha’s general education fund. To ensure they remain in school, it is important for them to be matched with sponsors.
68 entering high school
In 2015 Maisha will have about 68 children entering high school. This is an incredible testimony to how the community has transformed. Before Maisha, 90 percent of students dropped out of school before ever reaching high school. Families who had enough money to send a child to school have always chosen the eldest son. Girls were rarely given the chance to pursue an education past elementary and many ended up pregnant at a very young age. Boys had a hard time staying in school because they were needed to work to help support their family.
We are excited for the opportunity to assist 68 children in pursuing their secondary education. However, many of these children are in need of a sponsor to help them in their education. They are at a very critical point in their lives where if they do not receive help, they are likely to drop out of school, continuing the cycle of poverty. The cost of sponsoring one of these children is $35 monthly for a partial sponsorship or $65 monthly for a full sponsorship. The 9th graders who are in need of a sponsor are available online at https://www.maishaproject.org/index.php?projects/high-school-sponsorship.
34 seniors educated out
In November, 34 seniors took their final exams and anxiously await their results, which are soon to be released. The original children enrolled in the project have graduated over the last couple of years. The overall number of children is down from last year’s 643 because all our graduates were removed from active project enrollment. By doing this, we transition the students into being proactive and independent. Be assured, friends and sponsors of graduates may still send correspondence via usual Maisha channels and they will be delivered.
Graduates may now apply for a scholarship and be allotted a selected amount of funding for their chosen path of higher education. This requires they take initiative to gather the required documents, much like the scholarship application process in the US. If your sponsored child is in high school or recently graduated, this is the perfect opportunity to encourage them to make application for a scholarship. You may even want to give into the scholarship fund (give online at https://www.maishaproject.org/index.php?donate). Applications for scholarships may be made for college, trade school, certificate training or any chosen path of higher education. Others may enter directly into the workforce or begin attending our business empowerment group.
54 entered project at Maisha Academy | 220 in attendance at Maisha Academy
Finally, 54 new students entered the project into the Maisha Academy to make the total attendance 228. Each year a successive class is added to the academy to maintain and grow the student’s superior education. This year 5th Grade was added, bringing the class total to 8 – nursery through 5thGrade.
The increase in education as a result of the Legacy of Hope Project is undeniable. We look forward to seeing this generation advance in a whole new way, free from the limitation of under-education. Thank you to all of our Legacy of Hope sponsors who’ve not only invested in education but the future success of an entire nation.