Build Skills with the "lost" Youth in Kenya

How can I share major news with you in a few short paragraphs ? So many foundation stones of our RAFIKI YA MAISHA project have fallen into place in the past 3 months, that a book would seem more adapted to share all the joy and the news !

Samwel, a 17 yr old student in Hair Dressing & Beauty Therapy at our Chepkanga college, thanks you all for supporting her in her studies. She writes : « Imagine we are paying very little but getting a lot of knowledge ». Like the 6 new computer students, 3 fellow hair-dressing students including 1 young man, and 5 other students in the Tailoring workshop, she feels that without your support she would never be where she is today, learning new skills.

«  I enjoy being in an institution registered by the government » Samwel adds. Big news : a recent stakeholder in our Polytechnic project, the Kenyan government started investing conretely. We were registered last year, and just a few days ago on June 26th, the first government appointed instructors arrived. We have grown from a village polytechnic to a government sponsored institution able to attract a growing number of young people.

There is great news on the practical side too. Our first small building built in 2009 and the temporary structure of 4 classrooms put up last year were situated on a 1 acre plot. Our very supportive local MP, Member of Parliament, contributed massively to our development in early March. She gave us 5 additional acres of land to be swapped with a kind neighbouring farmer willing to relocate. The enlarged  6 acre piece of land will allow our future Polytechnic school to offer in a rural area the same opportunities the larger polytechnic schools offer in urban settings.

Thanks to your contributions, we have opened the way in leaps and bounds to more youths. With your help, students like Samwel can look forward to aquiring professional skills in a new structure. More funding is necessary to erect the full sized building, but with your collaboration, you help us believe more than ever that this is possible. So Thank You ! or in Kalenjin, our local vernacular, Kongoi !